R. S. Anson
Did you know?
If parse brings up memories of learning the parts of speech in school, you've done your homework regarding this word. Parsing sentences, after all, is part and parcel of learning to read and write. Parse comes from the first element of the Latin term for "part of speech," pars orationis. It's an old word that has been used since at least the mid 1500s, but it was not until the late 1700s that parse graduated to its extended, non-grammar-related sense of "to examine in a minute way" or "to analyze critically." Remember this extended sense, and you'll really be at the head of the class.
Examples of parse in a Sentence
Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
While critics, pundits and voters were parsing who said what at Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden Sunday — namely the more controversial speakers like comedian Tony Hinchcliffe — others were surprised by Melania Trump’s surprise appearance.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 28 Oct. 2024
Ballotpedia also explains the wording and interpretation of ballot measures, which can be difficult to parse.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 8 Oct. 2024
Beginning to familiarize yourself with the night sky can feel daunting—with so many pinpricks of light above, parsing the constellations or identifying individual stars can be a lofty task.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near parse
Cite this Entry
“Parse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parse. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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