exploratory

adjective

ex·​plor·​ato·​ry ik-ˈsplȯr-ə-ˌtȯr-ē 

: of, relating to, or being exploration

exploratory surgery

exploratory drilling for oil

Examples of exploratory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Pentagon announced the initial, exploratory contracts with Google, OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI in July. —Jared Perlo, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026

Sip the famous Pseudo Sue IPA, or sample exploratory and seasonal beers while nibbling on pub favorites like cheese curds. —Sarah Miller, Midwest Living, 29 Apr. 2026

In positioning Mollestad as an exploratory team player, its six tracks reveal her chops well beyond that of a showboating virtuoso. —Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026

This time, though, the idea isn't just brief contact and exploratory surveys, but a sustained lunar presence, and the agency recently announced a long-term roadmap for building a $20 billion permanent lunar base. —Alan Bradley, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing exploratory

• exploratory surgery

Rhymes for exploratory

• accusatory
• admonitory
• ambulatory
• amendatory
• celebratory
• circulatory
• combinatory
• commendatory
• compensatory
• condemnatory
• confirmatory
• confiscatory

Kids Definition

exploratory

adjective

ex·​plor·​a·​to·​ry

ik-ˈsplōr-ə-ˌtōr-ē, 

-ˌtȯr-

: of, relating to, or being exploration

exploratory drilling for oil

an exploratory trip

exploratory surgery

Medical Definition

exploratory

adjective

ex·​plor·​ato·​ry ik-ˈsplōr-ə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˈsplȯr-, -ˌtȯr- 

: of, relating to, or being exploration

exploratory surgery