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a
: a formal examination of an organization's or individual's accounts or financial situation
The audit showed that the company had misled investors.
b
: the final report of an audit
2
: a methodical examination and review
an energy audit of the house
audited; auditing; audits
1
: to perform an audit of or for
audit the books
audit the company
2
: to attend (a course) without working for or expecting to receive formal credit
audited a foreign language course
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Noun
The Internal Revenue Service selected us for an audit.
You will need all your records if you are selected for audit by the IRS.
Verb
They audit the company books every year.
The Internal Revenue Service audited him twice in 10 years.
I audited an English literature class last semester.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2023
The 30-page audit, which includes the state’s response, can be found here.
—Katherine Landergan, ajc, 20 Mar. 2023
Chew, who met with The Post last month during a cross-Washington charm offensive, said the company was restructuring its internal-audit team and working to explain its safety controls to skeptical lawmakers and regulators.
—Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2023
The audit, conducted by University of Geneva legal scholar Karine Lempen, says that because of improper procedures, women who reported harassment had no access to information about the investigation, including its outcome.
—Bycathleen O’grady, science.org, 7 Mar. 2023
The audit, released a year ago, found the Sheriff’s Department failed to prevent and respond to the deaths.
—David Hernandez
March 2, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2023
Sweet joined Dell 26 years ago and held several leadership positions before becoming CFO in 2014, including VP of corporate finance, controller, head of internal audit, and chief accounting officer.
—Bysheryl Estrada, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2023
The Office of the Inspector General audit will focus on the federal agency’s role in these cancellations, rather than the airlines.
—Ross Levitt, CNN, 21 Feb. 2023
Gilman told lawmakers that municipal officials were not questioned because the scope of the audit was focused on reviewing the documentation that the state collects after each school construction project is completed.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2023
Kelli Smith, Dallas News, 16 Mar. 2023
The shift comes after the Rhode Island Department of Education partnered with the XQ Institute in 2020 to audit how well its high schools were preparing their students for success in college and careers.
—BostonGlobe.com, 15 Feb. 2023
The arrangement would include ensuring all US user data would route through servers maintained by US-tech company Oracle Corp., who would also audit the app’s algorithms.
—Alex Barinka, Bloomberg.com, 9 Feb. 2023
The government plans to aggressively audit Medicare Advantage plans for overbilling but may face lawsuits.
—Margot Sanger-katz, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2023
As a result, the tax department has focused more on the easier to audit tax returns of those making little money, as opposed to the more complex returns belonging to those making a lot.
—Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 10 Jan. 2023
The Internal Revenue Service, seemingly against their own policy, did not audit Donald Trump during his first two years in office.
—Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 22 Dec. 2022
The Treasury Department inspector general confirmed in a letter to Democratic lawmakers that the agency is planning to audit whether Florida's spending on the flights was improper.
—Julia Musto, Fox News, 15 Oct. 2022
The board members do not audit election results or investigate accusations of fraud.
—Kathleen Foody, ajc, 31 Aug. 2022
See More
Noun
Now state officials are launching an audit aimed at curtailing bribery, conflicts of interest and other misdeeds, Adam Elmahrek reports.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2023
The 30-page audit, which includes the state’s response, can be found here.
—Katherine Landergan, ajc, 20 Mar. 2023
Chew, who met with The Post last month during a cross-Washington charm offensive, said the company was restructuring its internal-audit team and working to explain its safety controls to skeptical lawmakers and regulators.
—Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2023
The audit, conducted by University of Geneva legal scholar Karine Lempen, says that because of improper procedures, women who reported harassment had no access to information about the investigation, including its outcome.
—Bycathleen O’grady, science.org, 7 Mar. 2023
The audit, released a year ago, found the Sheriff’s Department failed to prevent and respond to the deaths.
—David Hernandez
March 2, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2023
Sweet joined Dell 26 years ago and held several leadership positions before becoming CFO in 2014, including VP of corporate finance, controller, head of internal audit, and chief accounting officer.
—Bysheryl Estrada, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2023
The Office of the Inspector General audit will focus on the federal agency’s role in these cancellations, rather than the airlines.
—Ross Levitt, CNN, 21 Feb. 2023
Gilman told lawmakers that municipal officials were not questioned because the scope of the audit was focused on reviewing the documentation that the state collects after each school construction project is completed.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2023
Verb
With an influx of body camera footage and other digital records in recent years, police now must audit and track a massive amount of files.
—Kelli Smith, Dallas News, 16 Mar. 2023
The shift comes after the Rhode Island Department of Education partnered with the XQ Institute in 2020 to audit how well its high schools were preparing their students for success in college and careers.
—BostonGlobe.com, 15 Feb. 2023
The arrangement would include ensuring all US user data would route through servers maintained by US-tech company Oracle Corp., who would also audit the app’s algorithms.
—Alex Barinka, Bloomberg.com, 9 Feb. 2023
The government plans to aggressively audit Medicare Advantage plans for overbilling but may face lawsuits.
—Margot Sanger-katz, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2023
As a result, the tax department has focused more on the easier to audit tax returns of those making little money, as opposed to the more complex returns belonging to those making a lot.
—Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 10 Jan. 2023
The Internal Revenue Service, seemingly against their own policy, did not audit Donald Trump during his first two years in office.
—Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 22 Dec. 2022
The Treasury Department inspector general confirmed in a letter to Democratic lawmakers that the agency is planning to audit whether Florida's spending on the flights was improper.
—Julia Musto, Fox News, 15 Oct. 2022
The board members do not audit election results or investigate accusations of fraud.
—Kathleen Foody, ajc, 31 Aug. 2022
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'audit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English audyte "examination of accounts, judicial hearing," borrowed from Medieval Latin audītus "sense of hearing, act of listening, right to judicial hearing, examination of accounts," going back to Latin, "sense or act of hearing," from audīre "to hear" + -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at audible entry 1
Note: The sense "examination of accounts," attested relatively late in Medieval Latin, is based on the word audītor, which in the meaning "one who examines accounts" is recorded much earlier—see auditor.
Verb
Middle English audyten, derivative of audyte audit entry 1; in sense 2 back-formation from auditor
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of audit was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing audit
Dictionary Entries Near audit
Cite this Entry
“Audit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/audit. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
audit
1 of 2 noun
au·dit
ˈȯd-ət 
1
: a thorough check of accounts especially of a business
2
: a careful check or review
an energy audit of our house
audit
2 of 2 verb
: to make an audit of
Legal Definition
audit
noun
au·dit
ˈȯ-dət
: a formal examination of financial records often to uncover fraud or inaccurate tax returns
also
: the final report of such an examination
audit
verb
More from Merriam-Webster on audit
Nglish: Translation of audit for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of audit for Arabic Speakers
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