perusal

noun

pe·​rus·​al pə-ˈrü-zəl How to pronounce perusal (audio)
plural perusals
: the act or an instance of perusing something : a reading or examining of something
a report that deserves careful perusal
She gave the list a quick perusal.
He had returned for less than a minute to his perusal of outdated magazines when Joan came back.John Updike

Examples of perusal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But a hockey team that has every player pulling the rope in the same direction can have a lot more success than a quick perusal of the lineup might suggest. Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025 Her repetitions and stammerings and strange inflections were very much her own, as a perusal of her interviews will attest. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2025 In keeping with the demands of processing the new currency, Nielsen isn’t expected to have Sunday’s NFL numbers ready for perusal until Wednesday afternoon. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 8 Sep. 2025 Most workshops can go on citing examples (and from each other’s writing, too, which is fun to do)―any perusal of course reading lists or an hour spent grazing the literature shelves of a bookstore yields numerous possible stories for discussion. Douglas Unger august 29, Literary Hub, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perusal

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perusal was circa 1589

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Cite this Entry

“Perusal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perusal. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

perusal

noun
pe·​rus·​al
pə-ˈrü-zəl
: the action of perusing

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