Standard Lemma guide

examine

noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪɡˈzæmɪn/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH0 G Z AE1 M IH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An act of examining.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To observe carefully or critically to learn about someone or something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • He examined the crime scene for clues.
  • She examined the hair sample under a microscope.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: canvass

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To check the health or condition of something or someone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The doctor examined the patient.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To interrogate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The witness was examined under oath.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • analyze a sonnet by Shakespeare
  • analyze the evidence in a criminal trial
  • analyze your real motives

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: analyze, analyse, study, canvass, canvas

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: anatomize, diagnose, name, survey, appraise, compare, check, check up on, look into, check out, suss out, check over, go over, check into, assay, review, reexamine, audit, scrutinize, scrutinise, inspect, screen, trace, follow, investigate, sieve, sift, view, consider, look at

7

verb

Meaning 7

question closely

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: question, query

Narrower terms: quiz, test, cross examine, cross question, catechize, catechise, grill

8

verb

Meaning 8

question or examine thoroughly and closely

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: probe

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: investigate, look into

Narrower terms: investigate, inquire, enquire, re-examine, hear, try

9

verb

Meaning 9

observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The customs agent examined the baggage
  • I must see your passport before you can enter the country

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: see

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: search, x-ray, candle, autopsy, auscultate, survey, scan, skim, rake, glance over, run down, peruse, size up, take stock, scrutinize, scrutinise, look, inspect, check

10

verb

Meaning 10

put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This approach has been tried with good results
  • Test this recipe

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: test, prove, try, try out, essay

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: evaluate, pass judgment, judge

Narrower terms: control, verify, float, field-test

History

Etymology

From Middle English examinen, examenen, from Old French examiner, from Latin exāmināre.

Across languages

Translations

163 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: فَحَصَ (faḥaṣa) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Arabic: اِمْتَحَنَ (imtaḥana) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Arabic: امتحن (imtaḥan) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Armenian: քննել (kʻnnel) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Armenian: զննել (znnel) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Belarusian: агляда́ць (ahljadácʹ) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Belarusian: агле́дзець (ahljédzjecʹ) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Bulgarian: изсле́двам (izslédvam) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Bulgarian: проу́чвам (proúčvam) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Bulgarian: проу́ча (proúča) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Catalan: examinar — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Cherokee: ᎠᎪᎵᏰᎠ (agoliyea) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Chinese Mandarin: 检查 (jiǎnchá) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Chinese Mandarin: 调查 (diàochá) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Danish: undersøge — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Dutch: onderzoeken — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Esperanto: ekzameni — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Finnish: tutkia — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Finnish: tarkastella — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • French: examiner — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Galician: examinar — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Georgian: გამოიკვლევს (gamoiḳvlevs) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Georgian: იკვლევს (iḳvlevs) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • German: untersuchen — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Ancient Greek: σκέπτομαι (sképtomai) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Haitian Creole: egzamine — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Hindi: जाँचना (jā̃cnā) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Hindi: जाँच करना (jā̃c karnā) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Hungarian: megvizsgál — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Hungarian: górcső alá vesz — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Hungarian: vizsgál — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Hungarian: kivizsgál — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Hungarian: bevizsgál — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Hungarian: ellenőriz — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Hungarian: átvizsgál — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Hungarian: tanulmányoz — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Italian: esaminare — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Japanese: 調べる (shiraberu) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Kaingang: tugnỹm — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Kaingang: tugnỹgnỹm — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Korean: 검사하다 (geomsahada) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Korean: 조사하다 (josahada) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Latin: scīscitor — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Latin: speculor — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Latin: scrūtor — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Latin: aspiciō — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Latin: dispectō — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Latin: īnspiciō — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Macedonian: и́спита (íspita) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Macedonian: про́учи (próuči) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Malayalam: പരിശോധിക്കുക (pariśōdhikkuka) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Māori: matawai — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Māori: whakatare — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Māori: whakataretare — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Khiamniungan Naga: thó — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Nepali: जाँच्नु (jā̃cnu) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Norwegian Bokmål: undersøke — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Occitan: examinar — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Old English: fandian — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Persian: معاینه کردن (mo'âyene kardan) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Portuguese: examinar — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Portuguese: analisar — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Russian: осма́тривать (osmátrivatʹ) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Russian: осмотре́ть (osmotrétʹ) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Sanskrit: परीक्षते (parīkṣate) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Slovak: skúmať — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Slovak: preskúmať — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Spanish: examinar — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Spanish: analizar — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Swahili: -kagua — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Swedish: observera — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Swedish: undersöka — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Turkish: muayene etmek — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Ukrainian: огляда́ти (ohljadáty) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Ukrainian: огля́нути (ohljánuty) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Ukrainian: огле́діти (ohlédity) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Ukrainian: огля́діти (ohljádity) — to observe or inspect carefully or critically
  • Armenian: զննել (znnel) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Bulgarian: прегле́ждам (pregléždam) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Bulgarian: прегле́дам (preglédam) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Czech: vyšetřovat — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Czech: vyšetřit — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Finnish: tutkia — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • French: examiner — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Georgian: გამოიკვლევს (gamoiḳvlevs) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • German: untersuchen — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Hungarian: vizsgál — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Hungarian: megvizsgál — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Japanese: 診察する (shinsatsu suru) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Latin: scīscitor — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Lithuanian: apžiūrėti — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Macedonian: пре́гледа (prégleda) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Malayalam: പരിശോധിക്കുക (pariśōdhikkuka) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Nepali: जाँच्नु (jā̃cnu) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Norwegian Bokmål: undersøke — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Polish: badać — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Polish: zbadać — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Portuguese: examinar — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Russian: осма́тривать (osmátrivatʹ) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Russian: осмотре́ть (osmotrétʹ) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Slovak: vyšetrovať — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Slovak: vyšetriť — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Spanish: auscultar — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Swahili: -kagua — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Swedish: undersöka — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Ukrainian: огляда́ти (ohljadáty) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Ukrainian: огля́нути (ohljánuty) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Ukrainian: огле́діти (ohlédity) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Ukrainian: огля́діти (ohljádity) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Ukrainian: обсте́жувати (obstéžuvaty) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Ukrainian: обсте́жити (obstéžyty) — to check the health or condition of something or someone
  • Bulgarian: изпи́твам (izpítvam) — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Czech: zkoušet — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Czech: vyzkoušet — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Dutch: examineren — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Georgian: ცდის (cdis) — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • German: untersuchen — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • German: prüfen — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Ancient Greek: δοκιμάζω (dokimázō) — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Hungarian: vizsgáztat — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Japanese: 検査する (kensa suru) — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Latin: scīscitor — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Macedonian: и́спита (íspita) — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Norwegian Bokmål: eksaminere — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Portuguese: examinar — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Portuguese: testar — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Russian: испы́тывать (ispýtyvatʹ) — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Russian: испыта́ть (ispytátʹ) — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Slovak: skúšať — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Slovak: vyskúšať — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Spanish: examinar — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Swahili: -tahini — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Swedish: undersöka — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Ukrainian: випро́бувати (vypróbuvaty) — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Ukrainian: ви́пробувати (výprobuvaty) — to determine the aptitude, skills or qualifications of someone by subjecting them to an examination
  • Belarusian: дапы́тваць (dapýtvacʹ) — to interrogate
  • Belarusian: дапыта́ць (dapytácʹ) — to interrogate
  • Bulgarian: разпи́твам (razpítvam) — to interrogate
  • Bulgarian: разпи́там (razpítam) — to interrogate
  • Finnish: kuulustella — to interrogate
  • Georgian: დაკითხავს (daḳitxavs) — to interrogate
  • German: befragen — to interrogate
  • Ancient Greek: βασανίζω (basanízō) — to interrogate
  • Hungarian: kihallgat — to interrogate
  • Japanese: 尋問する (jinmon suru) — to interrogate
  • Latin: scīscitor — to interrogate
  • Lithuanian: apklausti — to interrogate
  • Macedonian: ра́спита (ráspita) — to interrogate
  • Macedonian: со́слуша (sósluša) — to interrogate
  • Macedonian: и́спраша (íspraša) — to interrogate
  • Persian: بازجویی کردن (bâzjui kardan) — to interrogate
  • Persian: بازجستن (bâz-jostan) — to interrogate
  • Portuguese: interrogar — to interrogate
  • Russian: допра́шивать (doprášivatʹ) — to interrogate
  • Russian: допроси́ть (doprosítʹ) — to interrogate
  • Slovak: vypočúvať — to interrogate
  • Slovak: vypočuť — to interrogate
  • Swahili: -hoji — to interrogate
  • Swedish: fråga ut — to interrogate
  • Swedish: förhöra — to interrogate
  • Thai: ไต่สวน (dtài-sǔuan) — to interrogate
  • Ukrainian: допи́тувати (dopýtuvaty) — to interrogate
  • Ukrainian: допита́ти (dopytáty) — to interrogate
Real reading context

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