review

[ ri-vyoo ]

noun

1. a critical article or report, as in a periodical, on a book, play, recital, or the like; critique; evaluation.
2. the process of going over a subject again in study or recitation in order to fix it in the memory or summarize the facts.
3. an exercise designed or intended for study of this kind.
4. a general survey of something, especially in words; a report or account of something.
5. an inspection or examination by viewing, especially a formal inspection of any military or naval force, parade, or the like.
6. a periodical publication containing articles on current events or affairs, books, art, etc.:

   a literary review.

7. a judicial reexamination, as by a higher court, of the decision or proceedings in a case.
8. a second or repeated view of something.

   Synonyms: reexamination, reconsideration

9. a viewing of the past; contemplation or consideration of past events, circumstances, or facts.
10. Bridge. a recapitulation of the bids made by all players.
11. Theater. revue.

verb (used with object)

1. to go over (lessons, studies, work, etc.) in review.
2. to view, look at, or look over again.
3. to inspect, especially formally or officially:

   to review the troops.

4. to survey mentally; take a survey of:

   to review the situation.

5. to discuss (a book, play, etc.) in a critical review; write a critical report upon.

   Synonyms: criticize

6. to look back upon; view retrospectively.
7. to present a survey of in speech or writing.
8. Law. to reexamine judicially:

   a decision to review the case.

9. Bridge. to repeat and summarize (all bids made by the players).

verb (used without object)

1. to write reviews; review books, movies, etc., as for a newspaper or periodical:

   He reviews for some small-town newspaper.

review

/ rɪˈvjuː /

verb

1. to look at or examine again

   to review a situation

2. to look back upon (a period of time, sequence of events, etc); remember

   he reviewed his achievements with pride

3. to inspect, esp formally or officially

   the general reviewed his troops

4. to read through or go over in order to correct
5. law to re-examine (a decision) judicially
6. to write a critical assessment of (a book, film, play, concert, etc), esp as a profession

noun

1. Also calledreviewal the act or an instance of reviewing
2. a general survey or report

   a review of the political situation

3. a critical assessment of a book, film, play, concert, etc, esp one printed in a newspaper or periodical
4. 1. a publication containing such articles
   2. ( capital when part of a name )

      the Saturday Review

5. a second consideration; re-examination
6. a retrospective survey
7. a formal or official inspection
8. the process of rereading a subject or notes on it, esp in preparation for an examination Also called (in Britain and certain other countries)revision
9. law judicial re-examination of a case, esp by a superior court
10. a less common spelling of revue

Derived Forms

• reˈviewable, adjective
• reˈviewer, noun

Other Words From

• re·viewa·ble adjective
• re·viewa·bili·ty noun
• re·viewless adjective
• nonre·viewa·bili·ty noun
• nonre·viewa·ble adjective
• prere·view noun verb (used with object)
• rere·view verb
• unre·viewa·ble adjective
• unre·viewed adjective
• well-re·viewed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of review¹

First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle French revue, noun use of feminine past participle of revoir “to see again,” ultimately from Latin revidēre, equivalent to re- re- + vidēre “to see”; view

Word History and Origins

Origin of review¹

C16: from French, from revoir to see again, from Latin re- re- + vidēre to see

Synonym Study

Review, criticism imply careful examination of something, formulation of a judgment, and statement of the judgment, usually in written form. A review is a survey over a whole subject or division of it, or especially an article making a critical reconsideration and summary of something written: a review of the latest book on Chaucer. A criticism is a judgment, usually in an article, either favorable or unfavorable or both: a criticism of a proposed plan. The words are interchanged when referring to motion pictures or theater, but review implies a somewhat less formal approach than criticism in referring to literary works: movie reviews; play reviews; book reviews.

Example Sentences

All of this comes as the government considers what to do about university funding in England from 2026, in a review likely to conclude next year.

From BBC

The review rejected Colomey’s claims of a violent internal culture and found the team used deadly force in a small fraction of incidents.

From Los Angeles Times

“They really didn’t have their own independent review. That changed over time.”

From Los Angeles Times

The man in charge of a review of the prisons crisis says building more jails is not the answer and a more "strategic" approach is needed to free up space.

From BBC

The sentencing review was a Labour manifesto pledge and the party has also appointed Lord Timpson, former head of the key-cutting chain that hires ex-offenders and chief of the Prison Reform Trust, as its prisons minister.

From BBC

Related Words

• assess
• discuss
• evaluate
• examine
• inspect
• revise
• study