Synonyms

locate

American

[loh-keyt, loh-keyt] / ˈloʊ keɪt, loʊˈkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

located, locating

to identify or discover the place or location of.

to locate the bullet wound.
to set, fix, or establish in a position, situation, or locality; place; settle.

to locate our European office in Paris.
to assign or ascribe a particular location to (something), as by knowledge or opinion.

Some scholars locate the Garden of Eden in Babylonia.
to survey and enter a claim to a tract of land; take possession of land.

verb (used without object)

located, locating

to establish one's business or residence in a place; settle.

locate British

/ ləʊˈkeɪt /

verb

(tr) to discover the position, situation, or whereabouts of; find
(tr; often passive) to situate or place

located on the edge of the city
(intr) to become established or settled

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

interlocate verb (used with object)
locatable adjective
locater noun
prelocate verb
self-locating adjective
unlocated adjective

Etymology

Origin of locate

An Americanism first recorded in 1645–55; from Latin locātus “placed,” past participle of locāre “to put in a given position, place,” verb derivative of locus “a place”; locus

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The first step is to locate the life insurance policy paperwork.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

When the team replaced the black object with a white one and added carbon dioxide, mosquitoes were able to locate the source, but only at close range.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026

She zoomed in on the school blazer and began trying to locate the school through its emblem.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

“Once verified, we can use that identity to try to locate your medical records automatically, so the records come to you,” Chandra said during Google’s annual health-focused event, The Check Up.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

I toss the sword onto the top of the wall and locate a couple of possible handholds before backing up a few steps to get a running start.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023