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Synonyms

scrutinize

American

[skroot-n-ahyz] / ˈskrut nˌaɪz /

especially British, scrutinise

verb (used with object)

to examine in detail with careful or critical attention.

Synonyms:

search, study, investigate

verb (used without object)

to conduct a scrutiny.

Synonyms:

search, study, investigate

scrutinize British

/ ˈskruːtɪˌnaɪz /

verb

(tr) to examine carefully or in minute detail

"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

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Etymology

Origin of scrutinize

First recorded in 1665–75; scrutin(y) + -ize

Explanation

If you want to examine something closely and go over every single detail, then you should scrutinize it. Like the way your mom probably assesses your outfit before you leave the house for school. Scrutinizing is very different from glancing or gazing. It's even more than a long, hard look. To scrutinize something, you have to look at it really critically, investigating every nook and cranny. Often things are scrutinized to verify if they're correct or authentic. So it makes perfect sense that this verb is rooted in the Latin word scrutari, which means “to search.”

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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:

scrutinize scrutinizes scrutinized scrutinizing

The Forecasts: Traders will scrutinize the BOJ’s quarterly outlook report for updated growth and price projections to gauge if policymakers see a case for another hike by year-end.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

That fear is partially what “Paralyzed by Hope” seeks to scrutinize and change.

From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026

As investors increasingly scrutinize spending by artificial intelligence-related companies, many still want exposure to the big names that they hope will keep driving that new technology.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

The push reflects the restaurant chain’s effort to capture more group dining occasions as inflation-weary consumers scrutinize spending.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

She waves her hand, pushing me to scrutinize the poor girl.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

Polymarket parted ways with its chief marketing officer as the prediction-market operator scrutinizes its promotional tactics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

“Eddington” scrutinizes our national psyche so intensely that it makes folks itchy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026

After the exam, an analyst scrutinizes the results and decides whether or not they indicate deception or are inconclusive.

From Salon ● Nov. 18, 2025

Now, she is moving again—this time into the House of Lords, the United Kingdom’s unelected upper legislative chamber that scrutinizes, amends, and approves proposed legislation.

From Science Magazine ● May 10, 2024

He scrutinizes me for a long, awful moment.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

It was heavily scrutinized for being so lean and a cost-cutting measure to fund AI data centers.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026

Lawmakers and regulators scrutinized the business practices of prescription-benefit managers like Caremark.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

The lawmakers elected in November will have a say in how federal food-safety agencies are funded, scrutinized and held accountable when the next outbreak arrives.

From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026

AI companies are encouraging people to upload their health information to be scrutinized by their bots, or to grant access to their bank or investment accounts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

Basta scrutinized him with a mixture of wariness and arrogance.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

But communities are starting to ask for more than job creation potential and total investment when scrutinizing new construction projects.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

Investors will be scrutinizing figures and commentary from the memory chip maker for signs of how artificial-intelligence demand is holding up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

But unlike the show it’s scrutinizing, “Primetime” lets its prey walk free.

From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026

Accident investigators probing an Amazon cargo flight crash in Miami are scrutinizing the speed of the aircraft, whether an airport safeguard might have helped prevent the tragedy and whether the weather played a role.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

I stagger through the door under Mother’s scrutinizing eyes.

From "Tasting the Sky" by Ibtisam Barakat

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