scrutinize
Americanverb (used with object)
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scrutinizes,
present (3rd person singular)
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scrutinized,
past participle, past
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scrutinizing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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scrutinizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scrutinized,
past participle, past
-
scrutinizing
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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scrutinizationnoun
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scrutinizernoun
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rescrutinizeverb (used with object)
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self-scrutinizedadjective
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self-scrutinizingadjective
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unscrutinizedadjective
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unscrutinizingadjective
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scrutinizinglyadverb
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unscrutinizinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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scrutinizesimple
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scrutinizessimple
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have scrutinizedperfect
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has scrutinizedperfect
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am scrutinizingprogressive
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are scrutinizingprogressive
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is scrutinizingprogressive
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have been scrutinizingperfect progressive
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has been scrutinizingperfect progressive
Past
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scrutinizedsimple
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had scrutinizedperfect
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was scrutinizingprogressive
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were scrutinizingprogressive
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had been scrutinizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scrutinize
First recorded in 1665–75; scrutin(y) + -ize
Explanation
If you want to examine something closely and go over every single detail, then you should scrutinize it. Like the way your mom probably assesses your outfit before you leave the house for school. Scrutinizing is very different from glancing or gazing. It's even more than a long, hard look. To scrutinize something, you have to look at it really critically, investigating every nook and cranny. Often things are scrutinized to verify if they're correct or authentic. So it makes perfect sense that this verb is rooted in the Latin word scrutari, which means “to search.”
Vocabulary lists containing scrutinize
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As investors increasingly scrutinize spending by artificial intelligence-related companies, many still want exposure to the big names that they hope will keep driving that new technology.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026
The push reflects the restaurant chain’s effort to capture more group dining occasions as inflation-weary consumers scrutinize spending.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
He said the district also must scrutinize its own spending, including ensuring “major construction and capital projects are completed responsibly.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
As profiled by The Wall Street Journal this week, a Chicago man who calls himself The Profiler has flagged thousands, warning users to scrutinize even verified accounts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
Only when we drew closer to the village itself did he pause and scrutinize what lay ahead.
From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi
Golden Corral scrutinizes buffet waste, marries costly shrimp with cheaper hush puppies and mines data to make money off bottomless offerings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
And instead of simply presenting these characters to an audience, as “Death of a Unicorn” does, the series scrutinizes them.
From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2025
Now, she is moving again—this time into the House of Lords, the United Kingdom’s unelected upper legislative chamber that scrutinizes, amends, and approves proposed legislation.
From Science Magazine ● May 10, 2024
In a shady alley, he lifts the tops of two water tanks, gets a flashlight and scrutinizes the surface for any sign of mosquito larvae.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 2, 2024
The smith scrutinizes my face, his brow furrowed as if he’s considering something, making a decision.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
US regulators have heavily scrutinized Boeing's designs during certifications following a pair of MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that together claimed 346 lives.
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026
The lawmakers elected in November will have a say in how federal food-safety agencies are funded, scrutinized and held accountable when the next outbreak arrives.
From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026
The note scrutinized four distinct channels by which AI might contribute to pricing pressures: software and accessories, consumer electronics, electricity prices and other cost spillovers like industrial metals and construction wage growth.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
Metro has scrutinized Metrolink over safety concerns and service cuts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
Placing both long, strong hands on his knees, he scrutinized Ranofer.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
But unlike the show it’s scrutinizing, “Primetime” lets its prey walk free.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026
The insurer backing one of his contracts, Clear Spring Life and Annuity, revealed this summer that federal prosecutors are scrutinizing its investment disclosures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
The State IG is busy scrutinizing embassies, much as the Agriculture IG focuses on food-stamp fraud.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
The measure would also bring drones under the arms restriction regime and increase the number of experts scrutinizing the existing embargo.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
Brother and sister became rivals, each scrutinizing the other with eyes full of hatred, concocting fine-edged arguments to disqualify each other in Clara’s eyes, spying on each other, and growing ever more jealous.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
