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Glite Dictionary
to launch an investigation

to launch an investigation

51 3.7
To officially start a careful check by a government, company, or the police
  • phrasal verb
  • /lɔːnʧ ən ɪnˌvɛstəˈɡeɪʃən/
  • Formal
translation icon : iniciar una investigación
  • The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee has also launched an investigation into fracking's environmental and public health effects.
  • launch a criminal investigation
  • government launch an investigation
  • Justice launched an investigation

Examples

  • Al-Haq's response to this state of affairs was to launch a vigorous investigation of the judicial system in the occupied territories.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The NCJW launched an investigation into the exploitation of Mexican and Filipino farm workers.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The school board is launching an investigation saying something needs to change.

    Fist Fight (2017)

  • "I'd like to launch an official investigation on one Gary Baker."

    Blackhat (2015)

  • You get this numbers thing settled, or I will launch an investigation into every syndicate activity in the city of New York.

    Hoodlum (1997)

  • In frustration, Cardinal did go to the RCMP, which launched an investigation.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • I heard your office is about to launch a full-scale investigation into all things Linderman.

    Suburban Sasquatch (2004)

  • Parents raised concerns regarding the teachers' posts, prompting the school districts to launch investigations.

    Blog text (6)

  • A few days ago, the Attorney General of the State of New York launched an investigation of ExxonMobil for fraud and funneling money to this new form of denial where people are out there minimizing solar, saying, "It's not going anywhere."

    An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017)

  • The city council decided to launch an investigation into the allegations of corruption among its members.

Synonyms

to initiate
vsto launch an investigation
426 4.5

To start something such as a project or discussion

is specifically about officially beginning a formal examination rather than starting anything
to inquire
vsto launch an investigation
  • Formal
16 3.7

To ask questions as part of an official investigation

focuses on officially starting a formal examination rather than asking for information

Antonyms

to conclude
208 3.1

To finish an activity or event

How Serious

to launch an investigation
  • Formal
51 3.7
to investigate
∞ 2.8
to look into
573 2.8

Surface Forms

launch infinitive
launched past
launched past participle
launching present participle
launches third person singular

Morphology

launch + an + investigation

The meaning 'to officially begin a formal inquiry' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'launch' (to start or initiate) with 'investigation' (a systematic inquiry). The determiner 'an' is semantically irrelevant and the construction follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The phrase launch an investigation comes from the image of sending a boat or rocket to begin a search: to launch is to send something off, and an investigation is a careful search for facts. So, to launch an investigation means 'to officially begin a formal inquiry'.