peruse
Americanverb (used with object)
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peruses,
present (3rd person singular)
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perused,
past participle, past
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perusing
present participle
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to read through with thoroughness or care.
Make sure you peruse the document before signing.
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to scan or browse: Visitors will be able to peruse artworks by young people across the state.
Sometimes I peruse the magazines near the cash register while waiting to check out.
Visitors will be able to peruse artworks by young people across the state.
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to read.
If romantic plots interest you, consider perusing her latest novel.
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to survey or examine in detail.
We had the opportunity to hear both sides and peruse the evidence.
verb
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to read or examine with care; study
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to browse or read through in a leisurely way
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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perusalnoun
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perusernoun
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preperuseverb (used with object)
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reperuseverb (used with object)
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perusableadjective
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quasi-perusableadjective
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unperusableadjective
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unperusedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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perusesimple
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perusessimple
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have perusedperfect
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has perusedperfect
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am perusingprogressive
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are perusingprogressive
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is perusingprogressive
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have been perusingperfect progressive
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has been perusingperfect progressive
Past
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perusedsimple
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had perusedperfect
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was perusingprogressive
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were perusingprogressive
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had been perusingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of peruse
First recorded in 1470–80 in the sense “use up, go through”; first recorded in 1525–35 for current senses; per- + use
Explanation
Traditionally, peruse has meant to read or examine something carefully. But informally, it can have the opposite meaning, to read something casually and quickly. To understand the two meanings, think about the way people like to talk about doing things thoroughly, even when they aren't. If you are visiting a library or a bookstore, you might find yourself perusing the shelves. Synonyms are browse and skim. Peruse is from Middle English perusen "to use up," from the Latin prefix per- "thoroughly" plus Middle English usen "to use."
Vocabulary lists containing peruse
Romeo and Juliet
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The Hunger Games
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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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:
He wanted to recapture that experience, but said the sticker shock left a bad taste, and he does not plan to peruse tickets in future drops.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
But the only architectural feats eliciting "oohs" and "aahs" this autumn morning are of the sponge variety, as enthusiasts peruse the gravity-defying gateaux from the city's gourmands.
From BBC ● Mar. 28, 2026
If I’m traveling and visiting family, I’ll peruse their library and borrow something that seems interesting.
From Slate ● Mar. 8, 2026
In 2020, a house hunter in Boise, Ida., could peruse over 20 properties for sale before encountering one listed for $1 million or more.
From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 2026
“Sheriff Snyder, I must confess, this is the first time I’ve seen such a headline. Might I borrow your newssheet to peruse the story at my leisure?”
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
My wife peruses L.A. condo listings frequently and the two of us have periodically gone with a Los Angeles real-estate agent to see new listings.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 30, 2025
The 17-year-old from Manchester enjoys deciphering the messages behind plates - phrases like YOU 105T are popular - and peruses Facebook groups where different combinations are shared.
From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2025
Anyone who peruses Reddit regularly can’t miss the bots: As one user commented recently, “Pay attention to a lot of the new posts—they all start off the same. ‘
From Slate ● Dec. 27, 2024
When Parkkinen wants to expand the class’ repertoire, he visits Los Angeles’ Central Library and peruses the performance section; recently he was inspired by exercises found in a 1920s book for vaudevillians.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 12, 2024
An auburn-haired woman with a tight bun and pursed red lips peruses the laptop on the desk in front of her, reading the data from our barcodes.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
It’s meant to be picked up, perused and admired.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
He says he perused various theatre scripts and Second Best caught his eye.
From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2025
She perused grotesque album covers while I investigated the indie art studios upstairs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2024
On a recent, bustling Saturday night at a trendy cocktail bar on Chicago’s near northwest side, my friend perused the menu full of bespoke drinks — most containing bitter aperitifs — and looked vexed.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2024
Quentin rose from the bed, stretching and yawning, and again perused my work.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
While perusing them, he said he discovered that the foreword to their book had been plagiarized from an article written by a BBC reporter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 24, 2026
When perusing our final list of the 101 best book club picks, my eyes popped.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
It's a story I first stumbled on almost a decade ago while perusing the newspaper archives – and the more I dug, the more I discovered.
From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026
So next time you’re in the herb aisle, perusing the verdant options, bypass the usual suspects.
From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2025
Finding a career as opposed to a job wouldn’t just come from perusing the contact pages of an alumni directory; it required deeper thought and effort.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
