scrutinize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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scrutinizationnoun
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scrutinizernoun
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rescrutinizeverb (used with object)
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self-scrutinizedadjective
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self-scrutinizingadjective
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unscrutinizedadjective
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unscrutinizingadjective
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scrutinizinglyadverb
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unscrutinizinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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scrutinizesimple
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scrutinizessimple
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have scrutinizedperfect
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has scrutinizedperfect
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am scrutinizingprogressive
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are scrutinizingprogressive
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is scrutinizingprogressive
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have been scrutinizingperfect progressive
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has been scrutinizingperfect progressive
Past
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scrutinizedsimple
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had scrutinizedperfect
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was scrutinizingprogressive
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were scrutinizingprogressive
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had been scrutinizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scrutinize
First recorded in 1665–75; scrutin(y) + -ize
Explanation
If you want to examine something closely and go over every single detail, then you should scrutinize it. Like the way your mom probably assesses your outfit before you leave the house for school. Scrutinizing is very different from glancing or gazing. It's even more than a long, hard look. To scrutinize something, you have to look at it really critically, investigating every nook and cranny. Often things are scrutinized to verify if they're correct or authentic. So it makes perfect sense that this verb is rooted in the Latin word scrutari, which means “to search.”
Vocabulary lists containing scrutinize
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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.
See Examples For:
Nandy suggested that Britain also should scrutinize the impact of combining two major streaming services, HBO Max, a Warner property, with Paramount+.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
In addition, states including Massachusetts and Indiana recently enacted laws to scrutinize private equity’s healthcare investments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
You’ve said the judge has promised to scrutinize this.
From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2026
Donabedian expects investors to scrutinize the CPI, especially in the wake of energy price spikes related to the Iran war.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
I scrutinize the house, but there’s nothing to see.
From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
The probe is the first into a Chinese deal under the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation, which scrutinizes non-EU government support.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
The Times looks back at a devastating year, scrutinizes official response and makes the case for being better prepared next time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 7, 2026
Meanwhile, an explosion of popular literature scrutinizes those rules and places white people’s elevated status in sharp relief.
From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2025
Now, she is moving again—this time into the House of Lords, the United Kingdom’s unelected upper legislative chamber that scrutinizes, amends, and approves proposed legislation.
From Science Magazine ● May 10, 2024
Square by square, she searches the night skies for adversaries then scrutinizes the ocean, which is roiling with nine straight days of unseasonable April rains.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
The passage of time is central to McElwee’s work, but he’s rarely scrutinized the topic as aggressively as he does here.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
From the beginning, the victims were scrutinized on the chance they might provide a motive.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
When she scrutinized his Facebook page, which has since been taken down, she noticed the account was based in Nigeria.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
“The electricity for any other industry in the U.S. isn’t scrutinized as much,” he adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
She opened the cover and scrutinized the inside scarab.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
U.S. safety regulators are scrutinizing Windrose over trucks with Vehicle Identification Numbers identifying them as made in Georgia, but which were made in China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Investors are now scrutinizing enterprise AI adoption and its impact on profits beyond hyperscalers and chip sectors.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
And though his passion is food — and mine is scrutinizing it skeptically — I forgive him, because the show has become a minor obsession.
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
Gen. Rob Bonta and other state attorneys general have been scrutinizing the proposed merger, and are widely expected to file a lawsuit, perhaps as early as this month, to try to block it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026
He stands for some time in the spot where he found Celia hours before, scrutinizing the familiar bookshelves and the wall of stained glass.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
