Investigate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Investigate" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to prompt someone to examine or inquire into a matter or situation more closely. Example: "We need to investigate the cause of the recent data breach to prevent future incidents."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We take any complaint seriously and will aim to investigate and respond as quickly as possible and in any event within 28 days.

The Guardian

Professor Willem Kuyken, director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, leads the Aspire Project, a study set up in 2013 to investigate patients' access to MBCT across the UK.

The Guardian

Last year Prof Nick Black of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and I were asked by Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of NHS England, to investigate 14 NHS trusts that were giving concern because they had high mortality rates.

The Guardian

The Metropolitan police force has signalled that it is prepared to send officers abroad if necessary to investigate the abuse allegations.

The Guardian

Every five days if you're Kim Kardashian When I visited the Poundland warehouse to investigate its last round of successes, I was struck by the way the shop makes you aware of your relationship with brands, and how one judges a product's value when everything's a fixed price.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

One article even opened with the words: "Police were called in to investigate a construction firm after a 23-year-old woman accused builders of sexual harassment – for WOLF-WHISTLING".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Only two of the eight universities, UCL and Georgetown, responded to a letter sent from the ITUC calling for them to investigate evidence of modern-day slavery on their campuses.

The Guardian

On 24 June , 2014 Donovan and I confronted Ghomeshi with the claims of my original four sources in an emailed letter; he denied everything and threatened to sue if we published or continued to investigate him.

The Guardian - Opinion

But 20 years ago, you couldn't move for thrillers in provincial theatres: always set in country houses or smart London flats, always starring an actor off the TV in neckerchief and fawn slacks (Gerald Harper or Jack Hedley or Bill Simpson), always featuring a drinks trolley, an attractive fiance, a best friend and a stalwart detective who appears after the interval to investigate the crime.

The Guardian

Gabry said that the initial trial also failed to investigate claims that the defendants had produced testimony under duress, and as a result "the court of cassation is unable to show how right or wrong the verdict is".

The Guardian

Its staff of 400 computer engineers, trainers and investigators go to ministries and strategic companies to give courses on how to secure mobile communications or investigate hacking attempts.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "investigate", consider the level of formality required. For formal contexts, "examine" or "scrutinize" might be more appropriate. In casual settings, "look into" or "check out" can work well.

Common error

Avoid using "investigate" in overly casual conversations. Phrases like "look into" or "check out" are often more suitable and sound more natural in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "investigate" is as a verb. Ludwig AI indicates that it's used to describe the action of inquiring into something systematically. Examples show its use in various contexts, like investigating a crime or claims.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the word "investigate" is a versatile verb commonly used to describe the action of making a systematic or formal inquiry to discover and examine the facts of an incident, allegation, etc. As Ludwig AI points out, it's grammatically correct and widely used, especially in news and media contexts. While versatile, remember that more informal alternatives like "look into" might be better suited for casual conversations. Avoid overuse in informal settings to maintain naturalness. Remember, choosing the right word increases the clarity and impact of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Look into

This is a more informal and common way to say "investigate", often used in everyday conversation.

Examine

This alternative suggests a closer, more detailed inspection.

Scrutinize

Implies a very careful and critical examination.

Probe

Suggests a deeper inquiry, often into sensitive matters.

Inquire into

A more formal way to ask about or look into something.

Explore

This suggests a broader, less targeted investigation.

Research

Implies a systematic study and gathering of information.

Check out

An informal phrase meaning to look at or examine something.

Delve into

Suggests a thorough and detailed exploration of a topic.

Analyze

Implies breaking something down into its components to understand it better.

FAQs

How to use "investigate" in a sentence?

Use "investigate" to describe the act of inquiring into or examining something systematically. For example: "The police will "investigate" the crime scene thoroughly."

What can I say instead of "investigate"?

You can use alternatives like "look into", "examine", or "scrutinize" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "investigate the problem" or "investigate into the problem"?

"Investigate the problem" is the correct phrasing. The verb "investigate" does not require the preposition "into". It's a common mistake to add "into" unnecessarily.

What's the difference between "investigate" and "research"?

"Investigate" often implies looking into a specific incident or issue to uncover facts, while "research" is a broader term for systematic study and gathering of information on a topic.