anatomize

verb

anat·​o·​mize ə-ˈna-tə-ˌmīz How to pronounce anatomize (audio)
anatomized; anatomizing

transitive verb

1
: to cut in pieces in order to display or examine the structure and use of the parts : dissect
2

Examples of anatomize in a Sentence

if you anatomize the problem, you'll see it stems from a combination of her bad behavior and your unwillingness to speak to her about it
Recent Examples on the Web In The Rings of Saturn, W. G. Sebald anatomizes this depiction of a celebrated anatomy lesson, observing the improbably formal clothing of the men surrounding the prone cadaver, who wear opulent lace ruffs, while Tulp himself sports a wide-brimmed and high-crowned hat. Will Self, Harper's Magazine, 12 Sep. 2022 Her article deftly anatomizes Russia’s failures, but also goes into alarming depth about how the military leadership can call on hundreds of thousands of recruits, and better exploit the resources of a vast country to inflict greater pain on Ukraine. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2023 The critic will anatomize the subject from several angles. WIRED, 23 Feb. 2023 All of these exhibitions leave one feeling slightly guilty: The curators try to anatomize how power works, the strategies of mythmaking and image management, but the material on view is so seductive one forgets the larger intellectual construct. Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 30 Dec. 2022 The film joins countless other creative efforts to understand and anatomize the movie star born Norma Jeane Mortensen, including biopics, TV series, biographies, photo books, essays, and even plays. Nathan Smith, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2022 And some of it was a compulsive need to re-define and re-anatomize what Carmichael and Hamilton had already defined and anatomized so well. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 1 Apr. 2021 Kundera, meanwhile, made his career on novels that anatomized kitsch and subsequently became kitsch, thanks to a generation of earnest high schoolers. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 9 Oct. 2019 This is just one of many intergenerational failings that Kafka anatomizes. Jeremy Eichler, BostonGlobe.com, 18 June 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anatomize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anatomize was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near anatomize

Cite this Entry

“Anatomize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anatomize. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

anatomize

verb
anat·​o·​mize ə-ˈnat-ə-ˌmīz How to pronounce anatomize (audio)
anatomized; anatomizing
: to cut up carefully so as to show or to examine the structure and use of the parts

Medical Definition

anatomize

transitive verb
anat·​o·​mize
variants or British anatomise
anatomized or British anatomised; anatomizing or British anatomising
: to cut in pieces in order to display or examine the structure and use of the parts : dissect

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