browse

American  

[brouz] / braʊz /

verb (used with object)

browsed, browsing

1. to eat, nibble at, or feed on (leaves, tender shoots, or other soft vegetation).

2. to graze; pasture on.

3. to look through or glance at casually or randomly.

   He's browsing the shelves for something to read.

   Synonyms:

   check, peruse, examine, skim, scan

4. to access and view (website content) with a Web browser, usually without looking for something specific.

   a secure way to browse the Web.

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verb (used without object)

browsed, browsing

1. to feed on or nibble at foliage, lichen, berries, etc.

2. to graze.

3. to glance at random through a book, magazine, etc.

4. to look leisurely at goods displayed for sale, as in a store.

5. to access and view websites with a Web browser, as in

   If you love to browse while on the road, you can easily take advantage of free Wi-Fi .

noun

1. tender shoots or twigs of shrubs and trees as food for cattle, deer, etc.

2. an act or instance of browsing.

browse British  

/ braʊz /

verb

1. to look through (a book, articles for sale in a shop, etc) in a casual leisurely manner

2. computing to search for and read hypertext, esp on the Internet

3. (of deer, goats, etc) to feed upon (vegetation) by continual nibbling

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noun

1. the act or an instance of browsing

2. the young twigs, shoots, leaves, etc, on which certain animals feed

Other Word Forms

• browser noun
• nonbrowsing adjective
• overbrowse verb (used with object)
• unbrowsing adjective

Etymology

Origin of browse

1400–50; late Middle English browsen, perhaps a verbal derivative of Anglo-French broz, plural of brot shoot, new growth, Old French brost < Old Low Franconian *brust bud, noun derivative of *brustjan; compare Old Saxon brustian to come into bud

Explanation

To browse is to look casually for whatever catches your eye, rather than searching for something specific. Window shopping and scanning the newspaper for interesting headlines are forms of browsing. You can browse in a store, a library, or browse the Internet (with — what else? — an Internet "browser"). When it comes to reading material, browse means the same as peruse. Back in the 16th century, though, this verb was used in reference to animals feeding on, or grazing on, the buds of trees.

Example Sentences

The advantage of shopping online, of course, is that you can browse from an almost infinite number of items by material, color and size.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

At street markets and online, shoppers browse “Harfuchito” dolls, life-size pillows, flannel throws and even cakes bearing his image, depicting him either in a suit or shirtless.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

"Only in Australia and only at Hobart Airport could a local possum pop in for a quick browse among the souvenirs," an airport spokesperson said.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

People browse the internet with VPNs and cookie-blockers and encrypted connections not because they truly believe the government is personally watching them, though that possibility is less remote for some people than for others.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

Connor hovers behind me as I browse the pantry.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

Related Words

• flip through
• leaf through
• peruse
• read
• scan
• skim