Synonyms

examine

American

[ig-zam-in] / ɪgˈzæm ɪn /

verb (used with object)

to inspect or scrutinize carefully.

to examine a prospective purchase.

Synonyms:

study, explore, probe, search, scrutinize, inspect
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.
to inquire into or investigate.

to examine one's motives.

Synonyms:

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

examine British

/ ɪɡˈzæmɪn /

verb

to look at, inspect, or scrutinize carefully or in detail; investigate
education to test the knowledge or skill of (a candidate) in (a subject or activity) by written or oral questions or by practical tests
law to interrogate (a witness or accused person) formally on oath
med to investigate the state of health of (a patient)

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing examine

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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.

Examine, if you will, the list of the country’s chief executives, from George to Donald.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 17, 2025

"Examine your conscience, how will history judge you," Amar Bendjama added.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2024

Examine a satellite image of the area and you’ll find buildings drowning in the dark maw of automotive infrastructure.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2023

Examine admissions for talented incoming athletes, be they four-star football players or good baseball players — any athletes.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 5, 2023

"Examine your consciences," Sandi said in a boogeyman voice.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023