examine

American  

[ig-zam-in] / ɪgˈzæm ɪn /

verb (used with object)

• examines,
  present (3rd person singular)
• examined,
  past participle,  past
• examining
  present participle

1. 

   to inspect or scrutinize carefully.

   to examine a prospective purchase.

   Synonyms:

   study, explore, probe, search, scrutinize, inspect

2. 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.

3. to inquire into or investigate.

   to examine one's motives.

   Synonyms:

   quiz

4. to test the knowledge, reactions, or qualifications of (a pupil, candidate, etc.), as by questions or assigning tasks.

5. 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.

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examine British  

/ ɪɡˈzæmɪn /

verb

1. to look at, inspect, or scrutinize carefully or in detail; investigate

2. education to test the knowledge or skill of (a candidate) in (a subject or activity) by written or oral questions or by practical tests

3. law to interrogate (a witness or accused person) formally on oath

4. med to investigate the state of health of (a patient)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• examiner
  noun
• preexaminer
  noun
• subexaminer
  noun
• superexaminer
  noun
• preexamine
  verb (used with object)
• examinable
  adjective
• examinatorial
  adjective
• examining
  adjective
• unexaminable
  adjective
• unexamined
  adjective
• unexamining
  adjective
• well-examined
  adjective
• examiningly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• examining
  present
• examined
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• examine
  simple
• examines
  simple
• have examined
  perfect
• has examined
  perfect
• am examining
  progressive
• are examining
  progressive
• is examining
  progressive
• have been examining
  perfect progressive
• has been examining
  perfect progressive

Past

• examined
  simple
• had examined
  perfect
• was examining
  progressive
• were examining
  progressive
• had been examining
  perfect progressive

Future

• will examine
  simple
• will have examined
  perfect
• will be examining
  progressive
• will have been examining
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

examine examines examined examining

The team also converted some of the collected skin cells into induced neurons, allowing the researchers to examine cellular recycling in three different cell types.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

Mackin also told the court Kinahan's defence legal team is looking for an expert to examine the digital evidence and that they are seeking information on other international investigations that Kinahan was acquitted of.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Summer Said and Georgi Kantchev examine how Mohammed’s own decisions have contributed to his predicament, with rising defense and infrastructure costs threatening to siphon away funds needed for the economic diversification push.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

It would also examine why the Cali Fund -- a UN financial instrument launched in February 2025 aiming to attract $1 billion a year in corporate contributions -- had raised only $6,000.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

Then they take away my bundle and examine it, shaking out the two shirts and the two sets of curtains.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

A comprehensive review by Yi Ru and colleagues examines this issue in detail, looking at how a wide range of immune cells behave throughout the wound healing process.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026

I am an associate professor of government at Cornell University, where my research through the Gender and Security Sector Lab examines how police and justice institutions can become more gender-responsive and trauma-informed.

From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2026

If a project could cause significant environmental harm that can’t easily be avoided, it undergoes a more detailed environmental review that examines its potential impacts and alternatives.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

It examines the fruitful influence each had on the other and the lasting impact of their artistic visions on the modern and contemporary realms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

Meg picks up the centerpiece and examines it from every angle.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

When researchers examined pregnant mice, they found substantial shifts in lipid composition across numerous brain regions.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

He said he believed, to this day, the photographs should have examined by an expert.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Instead, aging appears to affect the process differently depending on the cells being examined and the sex of the individual.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

Panorama's team examined what appeared to be bullet holes from the raid, still visible, which were clustered together on the walls low to the ground.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

I examined the leaves on each of the five willows.

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate

To investigate the effects of smartphone habits, researchers at Semmelweis University studied students between the ages of 18 and 35, examining their phone use alongside measures of mental health, physical health, and cognitive performance.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

"I have been diagnosing PCD for 20 years by examining their cilia waveform, length, cell size and shape," he said.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

The team is also examining how exercise affects other fat deposits, including fat located around the heart.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

Authorities probing last year’s Air India calamity said in court filing they were examining a range of factors, including by conducting a “psychological autopsy and evaluation.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Pasiphaë paced in front of them, examining Hazel, her eyes so full of hate it made Hazel’s skin tingle.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• audit
• check
• check out
• consider
• criticize
• delve into
• explore
• inspect
• investigate
• ponder
• pore over
• probe
• read
• research
• review
• scan
• screen
• scrutinize
• study
• survey