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Synonyms

examination

American  
[ig-zam-uh-ney-shuhn] / ɪgˌzæm əˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. the act of examining; inspection; inquiry; investigation.

    Synonyms:
    observation
  2. the state of being examined.

  3. the act or process of testing pupils, candidates, etc., as by questions.

  4. the test itself; the list of questions asked.

  5. the answers, statements, etc., made by one examined.

  6. Law. formal interrogation.


examination British  
/ ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act of examining or state of being examined

  2. education

    1. written exercises, oral questions, or practical tasks, set to test a candidate's knowledge and skill

    2. ( as modifier )

      an examination paper

  3. med

    1. physical inspection of a patient or parts of his body, in order to verify health or diagnose disease

    2. laboratory study of secretory or excretory products, tissue samples, etc, esp in order to diagnose disease

  4. law the formal interrogation of a person on oath, esp of an accused or a witness

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

Examination, inspection, scrutiny refer to a looking at something. An examination usually means a careful noting of details: A thorough examination of the plumbing revealed a defective pipe. An inspection is a formal and official examination: an inspection of records, a military inspection. Scrutiny implies a critical and minutely detailed examination: The papers seemed to be in good order, but they would not stand close scrutiny. See also investigation.

Other Word Forms

  • examinational adjective
  • preexamination noun

Etymology

Origin of examination

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English examinacioun, from Middle French, Old French examinacion, examination, “interrogation,” from Latin exāminātiōn- (stem of exāminātiō ). See examine, -ation

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.

Ruth says she had been left in so much pain that she went to her GP, who sent her to hospital for swabs and an examination.

From BBC

There's a bone-white lobster, suctioned up for examination at the surface, and a horned sea cucumber whose mast-like spikes collapse into black spaghetti when it arrives on the ship.

From Barron's

He was hired in February 2025 after careful examination of his employment eligibility and a vetting process that included a criminal-background check and a polygraph, according to Joyce.

From The Wall Street Journal

Washington does have considerable regulatory sway over banks via rule making and examinations.

From The Wall Street Journal

"After the team boarded, an examination of documents confirmed the doubts as to the regularity of the flag," the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture said.

From Barron's