perusal

American  

[puh-roo-zuhl] / pəˈru zəl /

noun

1. a reading.

   a perusal of the current books.

2. the act of perusing; survey; scrutiny.

   A more careful perusal yields this conclusion.

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Other Word Forms

• preperusal adjective
• reperusal noun

Etymology

Origin of perusal

First recorded in 1590–1600; peruse + -al ²

Explanation

Perusal is the activity of carefully reading, poring over, or studying something with the intent of remembering it. Sometimes the word perusal is used incorrectly, as in, “I’ll make a quick perusal of this document and then we’ll start the meeting.” Don’t do that. Remember that perusal actually means “thorough reading.” The verb form of this word, peruse, dates from the late 15th century, when it meant “use up" or "wear out.” So, take care: The perusal of a book could be so intense that it wears the book out!

Example Sentences

Thankfully, “The Library of Lost Maps” collects and presents some of the great maps of the past for leisurely perusal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

Based on a perusal of Glassdoor and Salary.com, he said, the average corporate Target salary ran at about $90,000 to $100,000 a year.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 26, 2025

Smith’s filing, for Judge Tanya Chutkan’s perusal, argues that Trump’s actions fell well outside his official duties as president.

From Slate • Oct. 5, 2024

Not that you might know the social trauma from casual perusal of most of this work.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2023

“Forgive me! Of course you need to know the terms. I am utterly hopeless with numbers, but Lord Ashton drew this up for your perusal before he left for business this morning.”

From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood