verb B1 Intermediate Common

examine

ihg-ZA-mihn

Examine (verb) means to look at or study something closely and carefully. Example: “The detective examined the letter for hidden clues.”

verb

To look at or study something closely and carefully.

"The detective examined the letter for hidden clues."

To check someone's health or a thing's condition.

"The vet examined the dog's leg for any sign of a fracture."

To test someone's knowledge or skills formally.

"Students are examined at the end of every term."

To question someone closely, especially in a legal setting.

"The lawyer examined the witness for nearly an hour."

How to use examine

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo look at, test, or question something or someone very carefully.

Common pairings

examine closely examine a patient examine the evidence

Word forms

examined past tense, examines plural, examines singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The detective _____ the letter for hidden clues.

Etymology

From Old French examiner, from Latin examinare, "to weigh, test, consider carefully."

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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investigate assess pore over undersee analyze check inspect thresh look over luster lustrate overlook

Antonyms

fail to notice ignore

Related words

read control watch check hold tax match bill

Rhymes for examine

nine mine wine line sine dine fine vine pine tine thine shine

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Frequently asked questions

What does “examine” mean?

The word “examine” means to look at or study something closely and carefully. In plain terms, to look at, test, or question something or someone very carefully.

How do you pronounce “examine”?

“Examine” is pronounced ihg-ZA-mihn (/ɪɡˈzæmɪn/ in IPA).

How do you use “examine” in a sentence?

Here is “examine” used in a sentence: “The detective examined the letter for hidden clues.”

What is another word for “examine”?

Words with a similar meaning to “examine” include pore over, undersee, analyze, check, inspect and thresh.

What is the opposite of “examine”?

The opposite of “examine” — its antonyms — are fail to notice and ignore.

What part of speech is “examine”?

“Examine” is a verb.

Where does the word “examine” come from?

The word “examine” comes from Latin. From Old French examiner, from Latin examinare, "to weigh, test, consider carefully.".

Is “examine” a common word?

“Examine” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

What is the difference between examine and inspect?

Examine means to look at or study something closely and carefully to understand it. Inspect usually means to check something formally for faults, quality, or compliance, so inspection is often official and focused on finding problems.

What is the difference between examine and scrutinize?

Both mean to look at something carefully. Scrutinize adds a sense of intense, critical, and detailed attention, whereas examine is more neutral and simply means studying something closely and carefully.

How is examine used in a medical context?

In medicine, examine means to check someone's health or a thing's condition, as when a doctor examines a patient. In this sense the person or body being checked is the direct object, as in "the nurse examined the wound."

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