Standard Lemma guide

scrutinize

verb · 4 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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈskɹuːtɨnaɪz/
  • General-American: skro͞otʹn-īz
  • General-American: /ˈskɹutn̩ˌaɪz/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S K R UW1 T AH0 N AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To examine something with great care or detail, as to look for hidden or obscure flaws.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • to scrutinize the conduct or motives of individuals

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To audit accounts etc in order to verify them.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

examine carefully for accuracy with the intent of verification

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • audit accounts and tax returns

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: audit, scrutinise, inspect

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: analyze, analyse, study, examine, canvass, canvas

4

verb

Meaning 4

to look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he scrutinized his likeness in the mirror

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: size up, take stock, scrutinise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: examine, see

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English scrutiny Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English scrutinize From scrutiny + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

74 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: զննել (znnel) — to examine with great care
  • Armenian: քննել (kʻnnel) — to examine with great care
  • Armenian: մանրամասն ուսումնասիրել (manramasn usumnasirel) — to examine with great care
  • Bulgarian: изследвам подробно (izsledvam podrobno) — to examine with great care
  • Catalan: escrutar — to examine with great care
  • Czech: prohlédnout — to examine with great care
  • Czech: prověřovat — to examine with great care
  • Danish: granske — to examine with great care
  • Esperanto: trarigardi — to examine with great care
  • Finnish: tarkastaa — to examine with great care
  • Finnish: tutkia tarkasti — to examine with great care
  • Finnish: tutkia tarkoin — to examine with great care
  • Finnish: tarkastella — to examine with great care
  • French: scruter — to examine with great care
  • Galician: escrutar — to examine with great care
  • Galician: escudriñar — to examine with great care
  • German: gründlich prüfen — to examine with great care
  • German: hinterfragen — to examine with great care
  • German: gewissenhaft überprüfen — to examine with great care
  • German: ergründen — to examine with great care
  • German: zerlegen — to examine with great care
  • German: zerpflücken — to examine with great care
  • Greek: περιεργάζομαι (periergázomai) — to examine with great care
  • Greek: κοιτάω από πάνω μέχρι κάτω (koitáo apó páno méchri káto) — to examine with great care
  • Hungarian: tüzetesen megvizsgál — to examine with great care
  • Icelandic: gaumgæfa — to examine with great care
  • Irish: iniúch — to examine with great care
  • Italian: esaminare — to examine with great care
  • Italian: indagare — to examine with great care
  • Japanese: 精査する (seisa-suru) — to examine with great care
  • Japanese: 眇める (sugameru) — to examine with great care
  • Latin: scrūtor — to examine with great care
  • Malay: meneliti — to examine with great care
  • Malay: menyelidiki — to examine with great care
  • Māori: whakatātare — to examine with great care
  • Māori: whakatare — to examine with great care
  • Māori: whakataretare — to examine with great care
  • Māori: matawai — to examine with great care
  • Norwegian: granske — to examine with great care
  • Occitan: escrutinhar — to examine with great care
  • Occitan: escrutar — to examine with great care
  • Occitan: escrutinar — to examine with great care
  • Old English: sceawian — to examine with great care
  • Portuguese: escrutinar — to examine with great care
  • Portuguese: escrutinizar — to examine with great care
  • Portuguese: esquadrinhar — to examine with great care
  • Portuguese: perscrutar — to examine with great care
  • Portuguese: perquirir — to examine with great care
  • Portuguese: esmiuçar — to examine with great care
  • Russian: тща́тельно проверя́ть (tščátelʹno proverjátʹ) — to examine with great care
  • Russian: тща́тельно иссле́довать (tščátelʹno isslédovatʹ) — to examine with great care
  • Slovak: preveriť — to examine with great care
  • Slovak: preskúmať — to examine with great care
  • Spanish: escrutar — to examine with great care
  • Spanish: escudriñar — to examine with great care
  • Spanish: escrudiñar — to examine with great care
  • Spanish: escrutiñar — to examine with great care
  • Spanish: zahoriar — to examine with great care
  • Swedish: granska — to examine with great care
  • Swedish: mönstra — to examine with great care
  • Swedish: nagelfara — to examine with great care
  • Swedish: skärskåda — to examine with great care
  • Swedish: lusläsa — to examine with great care
  • Swedish: syna — to examine with great care
  • Tagalog: balukitkitin — to examine with great care
  • Telugu: పరిశీలించు (pariśīliñcu) — to examine with great care
  • Turkish: irdelemek — to examine with great care
  • Turkish: tetkik etmek — to examine with great care
  • Ottoman Turkish: سوزمك (süzmek) — to examine with great care
  • Finnish: tarkastaa — to audit accounts
  • French: dépouiller — to audit accounts
  • Māori: arotake pūtea — to audit accounts
  • Occitan: escrutinhar — to audit accounts
  • Tagalog: balukitkitin — to audit accounts