reexamine

American  

[ree-ig-zam-in] / ˌri ɪgˈzæm ɪn /

Or re-examine

verb (used with object)

reexamined, reexamining

1. to examine again.

2. Law. to examine (a witness) again after having questioned them previously.

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Other Word Forms

• reexaminable adjective
• reexamination noun
• reexaminer noun

Etymology

Origin of reexamine

First recorded in 1585–95; re- + examine

Explanation

To reexamine something is to consider or inspect it again. A detective might need to go back and reexamine the scene of a crime several times during her investigation. A scientist who's studying an unfamiliar bacteria will examine it, and then reexamine it again and again. And, if you still have an earache a week after starting antibiotics, your doctor may want to reexamine you. Whenever you take another careful look at something, you reexamine it. The verb reexamine adds the "again" prefix re- to examine, from the Latin examinare, "to test, try, consider, or ponder."

Example Sentences

If the discussion sparked by Anthropic’s CEO and other AI pioneers leads scientists and the public to reexamine longstanding assumptions about mind and awareness, it may mark the beginning of a much broader intellectual shift.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Again, all communities have that right to reexamine the past.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

The small sensor tracks hydrogen in flatus, allowing scientists to reexamine long held assumptions about how often people pass gas.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

We must all reexamine our beliefs in a critical and dispassionate spirit to determine whether we are apprehending reality or clinging to mental fetishes.

From Salon • Dec. 20, 2025

Michael and I had reached out to Chapman once more before the hearing to see if we could persuade him to reopen the investigation and independently reexamine whether McMillian was guilty.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• reconsider
• review