examine
Americanverb (used with object)
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examines,
present (3rd person singular)
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examined,
past participle, past
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examining
present participle
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to inspect or scrutinize carefully.
to examine a prospective purchase.
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to observe, test, or investigate (a person's body or any part of it), especially in order to evaluate general health or determine the cause of illness.
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to inquire into or investigate.
to examine one's motives.
- Synonyms:
- quiz
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to test the knowledge, reactions, or qualifications of (a pupil, candidate, etc.), as by questions or assigning tasks.
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to subject to legal inquisition; put to question in regard to conduct or to knowledge of facts; interrogate.
to examine a witness;
to examine a suspect.
verb
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to look at, inspect, or scrutinize carefully or in detail; investigate
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education to test the knowledge or skill of (a candidate) in (a subject or activity) by written or oral questions or by practical tests
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law to interrogate (a witness or accused person) formally on oath
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med to investigate the state of health of (a patient)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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examinernoun
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preexaminernoun
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subexaminernoun
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superexaminernoun
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preexamineverb (used with object)
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examinableadjective
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examinatorialadjective
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examiningadjective
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unexaminableadjective
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unexaminedadjective
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unexaminingadjective
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well-examinedadjective
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examininglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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examinesimple
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examinessimple
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have examinedperfect
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has examinedperfect
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am examiningprogressive
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are examiningprogressive
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is examiningprogressive
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have been examiningperfect progressive
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has been examiningperfect progressive
Past
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examinedsimple
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had examinedperfect
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was examiningprogressive
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were examiningprogressive
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had been examiningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of examine
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Middle French examiner, from Latin exāmināre “to weigh, examine, test,” equivalent to exāmin- (stem of exāmen examen ) + -āre, infinitive ending
Explanation
The verb examine means to study something carefully and in great detail. You can examine a book, a painting, a person’s face and so on. Right now, you are examining the meaning of examine. Examine means to look at something very closely and usually with the purpose of making a judgment. If you go to see a doctor, the doctor will examine you to see if you are healthy. Examine can also mean “question.” When the police examine a witness, they are questioning that witness. Along these same lines, examine can also be used to mean “test.” You might examine, or test, your friend’s knowledge of biology by asking him repeated questions about that subject.
Vocabulary lists containing examine
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 5
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 3
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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:
It will also examine decision-making and risk assessment training, focussing on how officers are helped to make bias-free decisions and identify where immediate action like first aid is required.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
“It is to be expected that regulators would closely examine any funds that are high profile, produce significant returns, or have particularly dramatic drawdowns,” a spokesman for Situational Awareness said in an email.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Let’s examine the hot topics for the season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
This preliminary study is the first to examine how vitamin D supplement intake relates to cognitive function specifically in a high-risk group experiencing both MCI and sleep disturbances.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
“Most remarkable children I ever saw. Which is which?” and Laurie bent like a well-sweep to examine the prodigies.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
They used Mendelian randomization, a statistical method that examines naturally occurring genetic variants connected with risk factors and stroke.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
A comparative literature professor at Stanford University, his forthcoming book, “What Tech Calls Governing,” examines the increasingly authoritarian politics of Silicon Valley.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
The report, due in the autumn, examines the experiences of Jewish pupils and staff in faith and secular schools and colleges in England.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
The court of appeals examines it next; it will reach the same conclusion as Judge Williams.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
All the while she examines him, I watch them.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
The art he created with his brother examined the Cultural Revolution and the political violence that China endured during Mao’s rule.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
The team examined blood samples from 28 adults divided into three age groups: 70-99, 100-109, and 110 and older.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026
He did so on various grounds, including that they had not examined Pike before rendering an opinion about whether her veins were too small to handle the required IV placement.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
Of the 878 deaths during this period, 235 had their brains donated and examined, and 215 had confirmed CTE.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
Every day he examined the dying plants to look for new growth.
From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez
While study coauthor David Hendel was examining images of the ultra-diffuse galaxy UGC 9050-Dw1 for their publication, he noticed a faint, narrow arc that looked like a stellar stream.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
Just days ago, the Postal Service issued final regulations implementing key parts of the executive order, and additional lower-court proceedings are already under way examining those rules.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
“Russ Vought and myself will be examining both on the revenue side and the cost side what we can do,” Bessent said, referring to the head of the White House’s budget office.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
Investigators are still examining how the track was inspected and maintained, the condition of the embankment and whether hot weather may have played a role, external.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Beowulf was too busy examining the velocipede to comment.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.
