under a/the microscope

idiom

: in a state of being watched very closely
Celebrities can find it difficult (to be) living under the microscope.
The business has recently been put under the microscope by federal investigators.

Examples of under a/the microscope 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.
Images that map the spatial relationships in the All-TNN network look like the topographic view of a hilly region, or a group of microorganisms viewed under a microscope. IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2025 As the Philadelphia Eagles' passing game was under a microscope, a popular narrative suggested that Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown were on bad terms. Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025 Many items also arrive encased in dense concretions — hard layers of rust, minerals, and marine growth — which must be painstakingly removed under a microscope, sometimes over the course of months or years. Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 6 July 2025 The tissue is sent to a laboratory for examination under a microscope. Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for under a/the microscope

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Under a/the microscope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%20a%2Fthe%20microscope. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!