Scour vs. Search: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Scour means to clean or polish thoroughly or to search a place or area intensively, while search means to look over carefully or thoroughly in an attempt to find something.
Key Differences
Scour, when used in the context of cleaning, refers to scrubbing something rigorously to remove dirt or grime. In contrast, search implies a systematic or thorough attempt to find something or someone.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
In another sense, scour can mean to search an area or place exhaustively, often for something specific or hard to find. Search, however, can be a more general term for the act of looking for anything without the connotation of intensity.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
Scour suggests a deeper level of intensity and thoroughness, often involving hard work or persistence. Search can be more casual or less intensive, like searching for a book in a library.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
To scour can also mean to examine or explore an area in great detail, typically in a more vigorous or exhaustive manner. Search is broader and may not always imply as much detail or effort.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
Scouring often has an urgency or seriousness associated with it, especially in the context of searching for something. Searching, while it can be serious, does not inherently carry the same level of urgency or exhaustive effort.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Context
Cleaning or exhaustive searching
General act of looking for something
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Dec 09, 2023
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Scour and Search Definitions
Scour
Scour means to clean or polish something thoroughly.
She scoured the old pan until it shined like new.
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Dec 09, 2023
Search
Search may imply a less intense process than scour.
He searched the internet for information on the topic.
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Dec 09, 2023
Scour
Scour can mean to search an area intensively.
The detectives scoured the crime scene for evidence.
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Dec 09, 2023
Search
Search can be broad, covering various contexts.
Volunteers searched the neighborhood for the lost dog.
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Dec 09, 2023
Scour
Scour involves examining something in great detail.
He scoured the document for any hidden clauses.
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Dec 09, 2023
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Search
To move around in, go through, or look through in an effort to find something
Searched the room for her missing earring.
Searched the desk for a pen.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
To make a careful examination or investigation of; probe
Search one's conscience for the right thing to do.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
To seek data matching a word, phrase, or pattern of characters in
Searched the internet for information about ostriches.
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
To remove dirt or grease from (cloth or fibers) by means of a detergent.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
(Law) To examine (a person or property) for the purpose of discovering evidence of a crime.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
To search a place or space in order to find something
Searched all afternoon for my wallet.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
To make a careful examination or investigation
Searching for the right words to say.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
To use a search engine or other software to find any data matching a particular pattern.
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
To search through or over thoroughly
The detective scoured the scene of the crime for clues.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
(Law) The examination of a person or property, as by a law enforcement officer, for the purpose of discovering evidence of a crime.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
A control mechanism on an audio or video player that rapidly advances or reverses the playing of a recording.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
An attempt to find something.
With only five minutes until we were meant to leave, the search for the keys started in earnest.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
The act of searching in general.
Search is a hard problem for computers to solve efficiently.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
(transitive) To look in (a place) for something.
I searched the garden for the keys and found them in the vegetable patch.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
To look thoroughly.
The police are searching for evidence in his flat.
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
(transitive) To clean, polish, or wash (something) by rubbing and scrubbing it vigorously, frequently with an abrasive or cleaning agent.
He scoured the burnt food from the pan.
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
(transitive) To remove debris and dirt (from something) by purging; to sweep along or off by a current of water.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
To look over or through, for the purpose of finding something; to examine; to explore; as, to search the city.
They are come to search the house.
Search me, O God, and know my heart.
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
To clear the digestive tract (of an animal) by administering medication that induces defecation or vomiting; to purge.
To scour a horse
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
To inquire after; to look for; to seek.
I will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
Enough is left besides to search and know.
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
To (cause livestock to) suffer from diarrhoea or dysentery.
If a lamb is scouring, do not delay treatment.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
To examine or explore by feeling with an instrument; to probe; as, to search a wound.
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
(transitive) To search an area thoroughly.
They scoured the scene of the crime for clues.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
To seek; to look for something; to make inquiry, exploration, or examination; to hunt.
Once more search with me.
It sufficeth that they have once with care sifted the matter, and searched into all the particulars.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
The act of seeking or looking for something; quest; inquiry; pursuit for finding something; examination.
Thus the orb he roamedWith narrow search, and with inspection deepConsidered every creature.
Nor did my search of liberty beginTill my black hairs were changed upon my chin.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
The activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
The removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water.
Bridge scour may scoop out scour holes and compromise the integrity of the structure.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
An investigation seeking answers;
A thorough search of the ledgers revealed nothing
The outcome justified the search
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
A place scoured out by running water, as in the bed of a stream below a waterfall.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
An operation that determines whether one or more of a set of items has a specified property;
They wrote a program to do a table lookup
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
A place where wool is washed to remove grease and impurities prior to processing.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
The examination of alternative hypotheses;
His search for a move that would avoid checkmate was unsuccessful
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
To rub hard with something rough, as sand or Bristol brick, especially for the purpose of cleaning; to clean by friction; to make clean or bright; to cleanse from grease, dirt, etc., as articles of dress.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
Try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of;
The police are searching for clues
They are searching for the missing man in the entire county
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
To remove by rubbing or cleansing; to sweep along or off; to carry away or remove, as by a current of water; - often with off or away.
[I will] stain my favors in a bloody mask,Which, washed away, shall scour my shame with it.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
Search or seek;
We looked all day and finally found the child in the forest
Look elsewhere for the perfect gift!
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
To pass swiftly over; to brush along; to traverse or search thoroughly; as, to scour the coast.
Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain.
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
To cleanse or clear, as by a current of water; to flush.
If my neighbor ought to scour a ditch.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
Subject to a search;
The police searched the suspect
We searched the whole house for the missing keys
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
Search means to look over an area for something.
She searched her room for her lost keys.
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Dec 09, 2023
Scour
To cleanse anything.
Warm water is softer than cold, for it scoureth better.
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Oct 19, 2023
Search
Search involves trying to find someone or something.
Police are searching for the escaped suspect.
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Dec 09, 2023
Search
Search can be a systematic investigation.
The scientist searched the literature for previous studies.
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Dec 09, 2023
Scour
To run swiftly; to rove or range in pursuit or search of something; to scamper.
So four fierce coursers, starting to the race,Scour through the plain, and lengthen every pace.
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
A place scoured out by running water, as in the bed of a stream below a fall.
If you catch the two sole denizens [trout] of a particular scour, you will find another pair installed in their place to-morrow.
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
Rinse, clean, or empty with a liquid;
Flush the wound with antibiotics
Purge the old gas tank
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Oct 19, 2023
Scour
Scour suggests a rigorous, exhaustive process.
The team scoured the area for the missing hiker.
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Dec 09, 2023
Scour
Scour can imply a sense of urgency in searching.
Researchers scoured the database for relevant data.
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Dec 09, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is 'scour' used in everyday language?
Less frequently, and often in more intensive contexts.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
Can 'search' be used in digital contexts?
Yes, like searching the internet or a database.
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Dec 09, 2023
What does 'scour' typically imply?
Scour implies a thorough, intense cleaning or searching process.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
Can 'scour' be used for searching information?
Yes, particularly when it involves detailed, exhaustive research.
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Dec 09, 2023
Is 'search' always systematic?
Often, but it can also be casual or unsystematic.
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Dec 09, 2023
Is "scour" a verb or a noun?
"Scour" is primarily a verb, but it can also be used as a noun to refer to the act of cleaning.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
How is 'search' commonly used?
Search is used to describe the act of looking for something or someone.
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Dec 09, 2023
Does 'scour' involve more effort than 'search'?
Typically, yes, scour suggests greater effort and thoroughness.
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Dec 09, 2023
What might you 'scour' for in a house?
You might scour for something valuable or hard to find.
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Dec 09, 2023
Can "scour" refer to searching for information online?
Yes, you can use "scour" when emphasizing a vigorous or extensive online search.
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Dec 09, 2023
What is the past tense of "search"?
The past tense of "search" is "searched."
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Dec 09, 2023
Can "search" be used in a figurative sense?
Yes, you can use "search" figuratively, such as "searching for meaning in life."
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Dec 09, 2023
Can you 'search' a room?
Yes, searching a room for something is a common use.
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Dec 09, 2023
Can you provide an example sentence using "scour"?
"She decided to scour the kitchen until it sparkled."
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Dec 09, 2023
What is a synonym for "search"?
Synonyms for "search" include "hunt," "seek," "examine," and "investigate."
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Dec 09, 2023
Can 'search' be urgent?
Yes, especially in situations like searching for a missing person.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
When should I use "search" instead of "scour"?
Use "search" when looking for something or seeking information in a general sense.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
What's an example sentence that combines both "scour" and "search"?
"She scoured the library and searched the internet to find the rare book."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
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Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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