examine

verb

ex·​am·​ine ig-ˈza-mən How to pronounce examine (audio)
examined; examining ig-ˈza-mə-niŋ How to pronounce examine (audio)
-ˈzam-niŋ

transitive verb

1
a
: to inspect closely
b
: to test the condition of
c
: to inquire into carefully : investigate
2
a
: to interrogate closely
examine a prisoner
b
: to test by questioning in order to determine progress, fitness, or knowledge

intransitive verb

: to make or give an examination
examinable adjective
examiner
ig-ˈza-mə-nər How to pronounce examine (audio)
-ˈzam-nər
noun
Choose the Right Synonym for examine

scrutinize, scan, inspect, examine mean to look at or over.

scrutinize stresses close attention to minute detail.

scrutinized the hospital bill

scan implies a surveying from point to point often suggesting a cursory overall observation.

scanned the wine list

inspect implies scrutinizing for errors or defects.

inspected my credentials

examine suggests a scrutiny in order to determine the nature, condition, or quality of a thing.

examined the specimens

Examples of examine in a Sentence

An accountant has been hired to examine the company's books. The police examined the evidence carefully. You should have your eyes examined. He was examined by several doctors, who found nothing wrong with him.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While the review was initiated to examine the leadership structure of the county’s Office of Education, the agency’s investigators quickly pivoted to the education board after hearing numerous complaints from staff, said Mike Fine, CEO of the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team. Molly Gibbs, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024 All students are required to take fine arts and humanities courses as part of their undergraduate core curriculum, with the goal of promoting critical thinking and helping students examine problems through multiple lenses. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 14 Nov. 2024 The aim, according to its course description, is to use her work as a lens through which to examine Black intellectual thought and activism. Angela Yang, NBC News, 10 Nov. 2024 Another study in an academic journal called Medical Problems of Performing Artists that examined the deaths of 13,195 popular musicians from an array of genres also concluded that their life expectancy was lower than for the population at large. Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for examine 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French examiner, from Latin examinare, from examen

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of examine was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near examine

Cite this Entry

“Examine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/examine. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

examine

verb
ex·​am·​ine ig-ˈzam-ən How to pronounce examine (audio)
examined; examining
1
: to look at or check carefully
examine a company's books
have your eyes examined
2
: to question closely
examine a witness
examiner noun

Medical Definition

examine

verb
ex·​am·​ine ig-ˈzam-ən How to pronounce examine (audio)
examined; examining -(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce examine (audio)

transitive verb

: to inspect or test for evidence of disease or abnormality
the doctor examined the young men and found them in perfect health

intransitive verb

: to make or give an examination
the doctor will examine at the infirmary

Legal Definition

examine

transitive verb
ex·​am·​ine
examined; examining
1
: to investigate or inspect closely
examine the title
compare audit
2
: to question closely especially in a court proceeding compare depose

More from Merriam-Webster on examine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!