To travel through a place in order to learn about it, or to examine something carefully to understand it better. It can also mean to try out different options or ideas before deciding.
From Latin *explorare* ‘to search out, investigate’, possibly from *ex-* (‘out’) and *plorare* (‘to cry out’). Early explorers were literally scouts calling out their discoveries.
You can explore a city, a career, or even your own feelings—the word doesn’t care whether the territory is outside or inside. To ‘explore’ is almost always low-commitment curiosity: you’re allowed to look around before you choose.
Like “exploration,” “explore” has roots in narratives of male adventurers “discovering” lands and peoples, often erasing women’s roles and indigenous presence. In contemporary use it is broader and more neutral, but still tied to those historical imaginaries in some contexts.
Use freely for ideas and options; when referring to geographic or cultural exploration, avoid framing inhabited places as empty or newly discovered and acknowledge diverse contributors.
["investigate","look into","examine","probe"]
Women have led and participated in many forms of exploration—from polar expeditions to space missions and social research—yet are often under‑credited; including their stories broadens who is seen as an explorer.
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