Word
scrutinize
Meanings
To examine something carefully and thoroughly, often to check accuracy or find faults.
To watch or inspect a person’s behavior or actions very closely.
Definition
To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
To scrutinize means to look at or study something closely in order to understand it, check it, or find problems. People often scrutinize documents, data, plans, or someone’s actions. The idea is careful, detailed attention rather than a quick glance.
Examples
- The editor will scrutinize the article before it is published.
- Investors scrutinize the company’s earnings report every quarter.
- She scrutinized his face to see if he was telling the truth.
- The committee scrutinized every detail of the proposal.
- We need to scrutinize the data for errors.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse scrutinize with glance at; scrutinize implies a long, careful examination, not a quick look.
More at C1 level
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- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.
- infer To infer means to form a conclusion from evidence or clues rather than from a direct statement.