analysis

noun

anal·y·sis | \ə-ˈna-lə-səs

plural analyses\ -ˌsēz

Definition of analysis

1a : a detailed examination of anything complex in order to understand its nature or to determine its essential features : a thorough study doing a careful analysis of the problem

b : a statement of such an examination

2 : separation of a whole into its component parts

3a : the identification or separation of ingredients of a substance a chemical analysis of the soil

b : a statement of the constituents of a mixture

4 mathematics

a : proof of a mathematical proposition by assuming the result and deducing a valid statement by a series of reversible steps

b(1) : a branch of mathematics concerned mainly with limits, continuity, and infinite series

(2) : calculus sense 1b

5 : psychoanalysis a patient who is in/undergoing analysis

6a : a method in philosophy of resolving complex expressions into simpler or more basic ones

b : clarification of an expression by an elucidation of its use in discourse

7 linguistics : the use of function words instead of inflectional forms as a characteristic device of a language

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about analysis

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Examples of analysis in a Sentence

His analyses expose hidden fractures with the clarity of an X-ray, and his rhetorical skill, though modulated in a journalistic style, owes much to the give and take of Euripides' crisp dialogue. — G. W. Bowersock, New York Review of Books, 6 Nov. 2008 In order to depict economic decisions mathematically, economists needed to assume that human behavior is both rational and predictable. They imagined a representative human, Homo economicus, endowed with consistent preferences, stable moods, and an enviable ability to make only rational decisions. This sleight of hand yielded some theories that had genuine predictive value, but economists were obliged to exclude from their analyses many phenomena that didn't fit the … framework, such as stock-market bubbles, drug addiction, and compulsive shopping. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 18 Sept. 2006 Thus little more than a month before the convention was due to assemble in Philadelphia, James Madison fashioned a powerful and comprehensive analysis of the problems of federalism and republicanism. — Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings, 1996 Thanks to some pioneering studies, and an increasing body of editions, translations, and detailed analyses, we now have a good general picture of the spiritual culture of late-medieval women on the Continent, especially in the Low Countries and Germany. — Nicholas Watsons, Speculum, July 1993 a scientific analysis of the data make a chemical analysis of the soil a detailed analysis of the bone structure of horses performing chemical analysis of the soil The newspaper printed an analysis of each candidate's positions. That's not a bad analysis of the situation. It's a problem that requires careful analysis. He has been in analysis for many years.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Washington Post’s Drew Harwell, citing various other analyses, also wrote that the footage had been doctored. — Casey Newton, The Verge, "The fake video era of US politics has arrived on Twitter," 9 Nov. 2018 The Cook Political Report — an independent, non-partisan election analysis newsletter that evaluates which way voters lean in certain areas — rates several key House races as toss-ups, especially for Republicans. — Lucy Diavolo, Teen Vogue, "2018 Midterm Congressional Election Results: Which Party Is Winning the House and the Senate?," 7 Nov. 2018 Gillum likely cares little about Trump's analysis and spent most of the debate working to connect DeSantis with the president. — Edmund Demarche | Fox News, Fox News, "DeSantis wins tense Florida gubernatorial debate against Gillum, Trump claims," 23 Oct. 2018 These are products with a chemical analysis on the order of 26-2-12, 24-3-12, or 20-0-10. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "How to Mulch Leaves With a Lawn Mower," 20 Sep. 2018 Another meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Medicine in 2013 evaluated ketogenic diets versus low-fat diets for long-term weight loss. — Jaclyn London, Ms, Rd, Cdn, Good Housekeeping, "The 5 Most Common Arguments for the Keto Diet, Debunked," 28 Aug. 2018 Her company's products are third-party tested and have a certificate analysis to confirm what the company says is in the oils. — Karen Pilarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Six things you might be asking about hemp," 13 July 2018 O’Rourke’s fundraising prowess has been all the more surprising because Cruz, regarded as a national conservative leader, has a solid record of campaign organization, data analysis and fundraising. — Kevin Diaz And Jeremy Wallace, San Antonio Express-News, "Beto O’Rourke sets new fundraising records," 12 July 2018 Over the past decade, by far the largest recipients of taxpayer money have been Southwest Key and Baptist Child & Family Services, AP's analysis shows. — Martha Mendoza And Larry Fenn, Detroit Free Press, "Detaining immigrant kids is now a billion-dollar industry, research shows," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'analysis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.