examine
Americanverb (used with object)
-
examines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
examined,
past participle, past
-
examining
present participle
-
to inspect or scrutinize carefully.
to examine a prospective purchase.
-
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.
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)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
examinernoun
-
preexaminernoun
-
subexaminernoun
-
superexaminernoun
-
preexamineverb (used with object)
-
examinableadjective
-
examinatorialadjective
-
examiningadjective
-
unexaminableadjective
-
unexaminedadjective
-
unexaminingadjective
-
well-examinedadjective
-
examininglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
examinesimple
-
examinessimple
-
have examinedperfect
-
has examinedperfect
-
am examiningprogressive
-
are examiningprogressive
-
is examiningprogressive
-
have been examiningperfect progressive
-
has been examiningperfect progressive
Past
-
examinedsimple
-
had examinedperfect
-
was examiningprogressive
-
were examiningprogressive
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 5
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Language of Standardized Tests, List 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Investors will closely examine remarks from Bank of Japan policy board member Toichiro Asada on Thursday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Swift also observed multiple wavelengths of light, giving researchers different ways to examine the same event and better understand the physical processes behind it.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
Gillam-Kirton says the criminal case is focused on how the fire started, and that it will not necessarily examine the emergency response unless families pay lawyers to put that evidence before the judge.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
In the first study, we were able to compare women who underwent infertility treatment with those who didn’t, as well as examine women before and after they first received treatment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
I didn’t have much time to examine the nest last night, but do think it is possible that the adults were the former habitants of the nest and, therefore, the eaglet’s parents.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
This method examines short, standardized sections of DNA and compares them with reference sequences from known species.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
“Mouse” examines the extremes of this unusual and intimate intergenerational dynamic with tender thoughtfulness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
The show also examines Bowie's many Scottish concerts and the impact they had on fans.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
An upcoming exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, previewed by AFP, examines the ambiguity.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
He cleans the oozing blisters, examines them for infection.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
BBC Verify has looked at its role in the campaign and examined the potential consequences for the AI industry.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Our journalism examined power and politics, questioned assumptions, surfaced stories that deserved attention and made room for perspectives that were too often overlooked.
From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026
The researchers then examined whether differences in brain activity could help account for these associations.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
Haney renewed his argument that the hillside was not secured after the Jan. 1 fire and had burned a second time before federal investigators examined it, destroying potential evidence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
Her high school and college records were examined, and her former teachers and administrators were questioned.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
The broader implication is that a food's health effects cannot always be predicted by examining a single ingredient.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
Before examining more specifics about CVS, it’s proper to look at the condition of the drug retail sector generally.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
The latest study combined new observations and looked at fragments of the stone in museum collections, examining structure, minerals and composition.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
After examining the charges, at least 53 out of 80 lawmakers must approve the removal of Pena and Vice President Pedro Alliana for the proposed punishment to move forward.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026
For a while now she had been examining the archives documenting the lives of French slave masters and their commerce in West Africa.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
