to examine

USAGE SUMMARY

"to examine" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You may use it when referring to inspecting, studying, or assessing something. For example: "The coroner will need to examine the body to determine the cause of death."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Painstakingly, he begins to examine the vehicle.

Independent

Eventually, she stopped to examine the sponge.

The New Yorker

People drifted over to examine the chart.

The New Yorker

I invite you to examine the blog.

The Guardian - Opinion

I wish to examine this point further.

The New York Times

One is supposed to examine press reform.

The Economist

One test is to examine the needles.

The New York Times

So we have to examine both.

The New York Times

We have to examine that.

The New York Times - Sports

We wanted to examine that.

The Guardian - Arts

So what's left to examine?

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "to examine" when you want to convey a detailed and careful observation or investigation. It's suitable for formal reports, academic papers, and professional communications where thoroughness is important.

Common error

Avoid using "to examine" in very casual conversations. Simpler alternatives like "to check" or "to look at" are often more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to examine" primarily functions as an infinitive of purpose, indicating the reason or intention behind an action. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used. Examples include "We wanted to examine that" and "It is just hard to examine."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "to examine" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that functions as an infinitive of purpose. As Ludwig AI correctly points out, it is employed to express the intent of careful inspection or investigation. Predominantly found in news and media, science, and wiki sources, it maintains a neutral to formal tone, making it appropriate for a variety of contexts, particularly those requiring thoroughness and precision. When writing, remember that while "to examine" is versatile, simpler alternatives may be more suitable for casual conversations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to investigate

Emphasizes a more thorough and formal inquiry.

to inspect

Suggests a careful and detailed visual assessment.

to analyze

Focuses on breaking down something into its components for detailed understanding.

to scrutinize

Implies a very close and critical inspection.

to assess

Highlights the evaluation or judgment aspect of examining.

to study

Focuses on learning and understanding through detailed examination.

to explore

Suggests a broad and open-ended investigation.

to probe

Implies a deeper and more invasive investigation.

to review

Indicates a formal assessment or evaluation.

to check

Suggests a quick verification or assessment.

FAQs

How can I use "to examine" in a sentence?

You can use "to examine" to introduce the purpose of an action, such as "The doctor needs "to examine" the patient's throat" or "We need "to examine" the evidence carefully".

What is a more informal way to say "to examine"?

In less formal contexts, you can use alternatives like "to check", "to look at", or "to go over".

Is there a difference between "to examine" and "to investigate"?

"To examine" implies a detailed inspection, while "to investigate" suggests a more in-depth and formal inquiry, often involving gathering evidence.

When should I use "to analyze" instead of "to examine"?

Use "to analyze" when you need to break down a subject into its components to understand its nature or function. "To examine" is a more general term for looking at something carefully.