scrutiny
Americannoun
plural
scrutinies-
a searching examination or investigation; minute inquiry.
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surveillance; close and continuous watching or guarding.
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a close and searching look.
noun
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close or minute examination
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a searching look
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(in the early Christian Church) a formal testing that catechumens had to undergo before being baptized
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a similar examination of candidates for holy orders
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Related Words
See examination.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of scrutiny
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin scrūtinium “a search, inquiry, investigation,” derivative of scrūtārī “to search thoroughly”
Explanation
Scrutiny is when you look at something really closely, like when you are checking a test for mistakes. Scrutiny can also be an intense look, like when your mother looks at you — trying to tell if you might be lying. Scrutiny comes from the Latin scrutari, which means “to search,” but which originally meant, “to sort trash.” When you turn in a draft of your essay, you are subjecting it to your teacher's scrutiny — and there's a good chance that she'll find some sentences that can be "trashed" as well as sections that could be improved.
Vocabulary lists containing scrutiny
"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 16–19
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The Westing Game
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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.
Scrutiny of Chinese-made routers has intensified recently over signs that foreign hackers use these devices for espionage.
From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026
Scrutiny of hospice care has intensified, grabbing the attention of the federal government, which is vowing to decertify companies that are overbilling, stealing identities or charging for services never provided.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026
Our friends at Strict Scrutiny have also suggested as much.
From Slate • Feb. 13, 2026
Scrutiny of European oil companies’ balance sheets is intensifying as weaker crude prices and rising debt levels pressure profits, with some analysts warning that the sector’s current buyback rates are unsustainable.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025
Scrutiny of philosophic literature fails to reveal any one who entirely succeeded in it, even slowly.
From Rationalism by Robertson, J. M. (John Mackinnon)
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.
