probers
Those who dig
Probers are people or things that probe—that investigate, examine, or explore something deeply.
The word appears most often for investigators or questioners who dig beneath the surface: The probers from the inspector general's office interviewed dozens of employees.
In technical contexts, probers can be instruments or devices used for testing or measurement.
Those who solve crimes
- sleuthsProfessional mystery solvers
- inspectorsThose who examine officially
- agentsThose who act for others
- operativesThose who execute missions
analysts · examiners · auditors · researchers · interrogators · inquisitors · questioners · interviewers
Those who study systematically
- scientistsSystematic knowledge seekers
- experimentersThose conducting trials
- lab techniciansStaff conducting experimental procedures
- microscopistsPeople using magnifying instruments
analysts · diagnosticians · testers · samplers · measurers · calibrators · empiricists · clinicians
Medical viewing instruments
- cathetersTubes inserted into body cavities
- surgical instrumentsTools for medical procedures
- colonoscopesInstruments for examining colons
- laparoscopesInternal surgical viewing instruments
bronchoscopes · thermometers · otoscopes · speculums · cannulas · stylets
First to explore territory
- scoutsInformation gatherers ahead
- surveyorsProperty line determiners
- prospectorsMineral deposit searchers
- pathfindersThose who discover routes
Vehicle for outer space
- satellitesBodies circling larger ones
- roversThose who roam
- orbitersCraft circling celestial bodies
- VoyagerNASA interstellar mission name
Curiosity · Perseverance · Pioneer · Cassini · New Horizons · Juno · Galileo · lunar modules
detectives
Those who solve crimes
- sleuthsProfessional mystery solvers
- inspectorsThose who examine officially
- agentsThose who act for others
operatives · analysts · examiners · auditors · researchers · interrogators · inquisitors · questioners · interviewers · fact-checkers
researchers
Those who study systematically
- scientistsSystematic knowledge seekers
- experimentersThose conducting trials
- lab techniciansStaff conducting experimental procedures
microscopists · analysts · diagnosticians · testers · samplers · measurers · calibrators · empiricists · clinicians · pathologists
endoscopes
Medical viewing instruments
- cathetersTubes inserted into body cavities
- surgical instrumentsTools for medical procedures
- colonoscopesInstruments for examining colons
laparoscopes · bronchoscopes · thermometers · otoscopes · speculums · cannulas · stylets
pioneers
First to explore territory
- scoutsInformation gatherers ahead
- surveyorsProperty line determiners
- prospectorsMineral deposit searchers
spacecraft
Vehicle for outer space
- satellitesBodies circling larger ones
- roversThose who roam
- orbitersCraft circling celestial bodies
Voyager · Curiosity · Perseverance · Pioneer · Cassini · New Horizons · Juno · Galileo · lunar modules
- examinersinspectors, examiner, reviewers, inspector, auditors
probersbystanders
People present but uninvolved
spectators · onlookers · ignorers · avoiders · wallflowers
probersconcealers
Products that mask blemishes
hiders · obfuscators · suppressors · evaders · subjects
- space probesUnmanned interplanetary research vessels
- temperature probesDevices measuring heat levels
- anal probeInserted rectal examination device
- alien probeOtherworldly reconnaissance device
- mind probeIntrusive mental examination
- meat probeCooking temperature sensor