peruse

verb pe·ruse \ pə-ˈrüz \

Updated on: 3 Dec 2017

Definition of peruse

perused; perusing

transitive verb

1 a : to examine or consider with attention and in detail : study

b : to look over or through in a casual or cursory manner

2 : read; especially : to read over in an attentive or leisurely manner

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perusal

play \pə-ˈrü-zəl\ noun

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peruser

noun

See peruse defined for English-language learners

See peruse defined for kids

peruse was our Word of the Day on 09/20/2015. Hear the podcast!

Examples of peruse in a Sentence

To refresh my memory of the old days, I asked for some Dailies of the thirties from the morgue, sat down at the large round oak table at the end of the editorial room on the second floor, and began riffling through the musty pages. Soon a burly middle-aged man appeared and seated himself at the table to peruse some recent issues of the paper and take notes. —Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987
I've even found myself idly perusing the Yellow Pages, not frantic for a plumber, just browsing. —Lesley Conger, Writer, October 1968
Bessie asked if I would have a book … , and I begged her to fetch Gulliver's Travels from the library. This book I had again and again perused with delight. —Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, 1847
He perused the newspaper over breakfast.
perused the manuscript, checking for grammatical errors

Recent Examples of peruse from the Web

Montet remembers perusing paint, model cars and Balsa wood planes there as a child.

— jennifer larino, NOLA.com, "National Art & Hobby on Magazine Street has closed," 20 Oct. 2017
Here, a one-stop shop to peruse all of Lively’s latest fashion feats.

— erika harwood, Vanities, "Every Look from Blake Lively’s All I See Is You Press Tour," 17 Oct. 2017
That said, perusing Etsy for other fun decorative details can't hurt.

— jessica ritz, latimes.com, "Wreath-making is a crafty way to gather with friends," 3 Nov. 2017
Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, desserts and one complimentary drink while perusing a display of original and custom art.

— ann norman, cleveland.com, "The arts in Medina County: ORMACO events, Art With A Heart for Children," 3 Nov. 2017
The feeling of perusing the ancient world in this fidelity is special on its own, and one of the best examples yet for a game's visual beauty alone being a stunning, inspirational experience.

— daniel starkey, Ars Technica, "Assassin’s Creed Origins review: A living, breathing ancient world," 28 Oct. 2017
The crown jewel, the Detroit Institute of Arts (5200 Woodward), has more than 100 galleries to peruse, and admission is free for residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

— joyce wiswell, Detroit Free Press, "Station-to-Station QLine Guide," 27 Sep. 2017
Christopher Stach Christopher Stach Enjoy your next cappucino while perusing contemporary art at SOCO Gallery, who just welcomed Not Just Coffee to their 421 Providence Road Bungalow.

— charlotteobserver, "What’s up this week in Charlotte’s visual arts?," 18 Sep. 2017
Participants post and peruse profiles on the app and get together for one-off jobs or longer-term work.

— eric r. danton, WSJ, "Seeking a Songwriter or New Lead Singer?," 7 Aug. 2017

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

Did You Know?

Peruse has long been a literary word, used by such famous authors as Shakespeare, Tennyson, and Thomas Hardy, and it tends to have a literary flavor even in our time. Peruse can suggest paying close attention to something, but it can also simply mean "to read." The "read" sense, which is not especially new and was in fact included in Samuel Johnson's 1755 dictionary, has drawn some criticism over the years for being too broad. Some commentators have recommended that peruse be reserved for reading with great care and attention to detail. But the fact remains that peruse is often used in situations where a simple "read" definition could be easily substituted. It may suggest either an attentive read or a quick scan.

Origin and Etymology of peruse

Middle English, to use up, deal with in sequence, from Latin per- thoroughly + Middle English usen to use

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1520

See Words from the same year

peruse Synonyms

Synonyms

read, pore (over)

Related Words

browse, dip (into), leaf (through), scan, skim, speed-read, thumb (through), turn over; devour, gobble (up); slog (through), wade (through); reread; proofread; decipher; review, study; apprehend, comprehend, get, grasp, make, make out, perceive, see, tumble (to), understand

PERUSE Defined for English Language Learners

peruse

verb

Definition of peruse for English Language Learners

: to look at or read (something) in an informal or relaxed way
: to examine or read (something) in a very careful way

PERUSE Defined for Kids

peruse

verb pe·ruse \ pə-ˈrüz \

Definition of peruse for Students

perused; perusing

1 : read 1

2 : to read through carefully

Learn More about peruse

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for peruse Spanish Central: Translation of peruse Nglish: Translation of peruse for Spanish speakers

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Definition of peruse

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peruse was our Word of the Day on 09/20/2015. Hear the podcast!

Examples of peruse in a Sentence

Recent Examples of peruse from the Web

Did You Know?

Origin and Etymology of peruse

peruse Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

PERUSE Defined for English Language Learners

peruse

Definition of peruse for English Language Learners

PERUSE Defined for Kids

peruse

Definition of peruse for Students

Learn More about peruse

Seen and Heard

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