Synonym Chooser

How is the word examine different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of examine are inspect, scan, and scrutinize. While all these words mean "to look at or over," examine suggests a scrutiny in order to determine the nature, condition, or quality of a thing.

examined the specimens

When would inspect be a good substitute for examine?

The words inspect and examine can be used in similar contexts, but inspect implies scrutinizing for errors or defects.

inspected my credentials

In what contexts can scan take the place of examine?

The meanings of scan and examine largely overlap; however, scan implies a surveying from point to point often suggesting a cursory overall observation.

scanned the wine list

When is scrutinize a more appropriate choice than examine?

Although the words scrutinize and examine have much in common, scrutinize stresses close attention to minute detail.

scrutinized the hospital bill

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of examine Using tips from the star-tracking Gaia spacecraft, scientists examined the motions of massive stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) to find it is being ripped apart by the gravitational influence of its larger counterpart, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Robert Lea, Space.com, 11 Apr. 2025 The personal documentary spans multiple countries and examines themes of resilience and displacement against the backdrop of the global refugee crisis. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025 That’s not a ton of ball to examine, but that’s not nothing either. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2025 An exhibition at the Louvre-Lens in France examines centuries of interplay between art and fashion, including what the sartorial choices of artists revealed about their place in society. Nazanin Lankarani, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for examine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for examine
Verb
  • She was detained by Italian police for questioning and interrogated for 53 hours over five days without legal counsel or an interpreter present.
    Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
  • More than a retrospective, the installation interrogates the tension between Modernist ideals and today’s ecological realities, moving beyond industrial rationalism toward a wilder, more organic future.
    Natalie Stoclet, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • For Temu, Eurofins Assurance will inspect merchandise including apparel, textiles and jewelry and outdoor furniture, among other categories.
    Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In his books, Harris explores several subjects that can benefit everyone from entrepreneurs to world leaders.
    Ethan Stone, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Their most recent work, Oltre Terra at Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, explored wool consumption and human-animal relations.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The shooting Saturday in Pocatello outraged the boy's family and neighbors as well as viewers online who questioned why the officers opened fire within about 12 seconds of exiting their patrol cars while making no apparent effort to de-escalate the situation or use less lethal weapons.
    CBS News, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes The government has long had broad discretion to question and search noncitizens before admitting them into the country.
    Albert Sun, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Both acquisitions were reviewed and cleared by the FTC at the time.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The lawmakers last month pressed the watchdog to investigate after Reuters and other media reported DOGE's arrival and other major changes at the regulator, which oversees U.S. capital markets.
    Chris Prentice, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The survivors were likely sheltering in the nearby grocery store, and Ellie and Dina barely wait for the say-so from Kat before creeping inside to investigate the eerie screeching.
    Sara Netzley, EW.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Off the coast of Sicily, Italy, a scuba diver scanned the seafloor for anything that looked man-made or generally just interesting.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Upon arrival, travelers simply scan a QR code and start their vacation faster.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • That poll surveyed 1,600 people, with a margin of error of 3.4 percent.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Perhaps that is why 45% of experts surveyed think this kind of AI co-evolution will have a more negative than positive effect on mental well-being by 2035.
    Tracey Follows, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Examine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/examine. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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