as in examining
to look over closely (as for judging quality or condition)
the project's time constraints make it impossible for the programmers to scrutinize every line of code, so some bugs should be expected
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Recent Examples of scrutinizing
That’s when Danielle went into full detective mode, scrutinizing everything that touched her skin—lotions, serums, hair products, even the family’s laundry detergent.
—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 9 Oct. 2025
The White House is scrutinizing ways to keep federal workers who were furloughed during the government shutdown from receiving back pay.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2025
Historically, efforts to find a singular cause for autism has led to scrutinizing parents and fueling stigma about autism, Lappé added.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025
The case has gone viral online, with many users scrutinizing Burke’s song lyrics.
—Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Looking at Via Lactea (the Milky Way's Latin name) with a telescope — except to view certain highlights — is akin to closely scrutinizing a painting with a magnifying glass, which only reveals the coarse canvas, and not the actual art itself.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The industry needs to be held responsible for scrutinizing entire supply chains and making modifications to reduce harm, Petrie says.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2025
Codifying and scrutinizing what in the past was either let go or ruled on from the margins by officials is, in many ways, admirable.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Instead of further scrutinizing the FBI director, though, Republicans are more likely to back him.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 9 Oct. 2025
The White House is scrutinizing ways to keep federal workers who were furloughed during the government shutdown from receiving back pay.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2025
Historically, efforts to find a singular cause for autism has led to scrutinizing parents and fueling stigma about autism, Lappé added.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025
The case has gone viral online, with many users scrutinizing Burke’s song lyrics.
—Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Looking at Via Lactea (the Milky Way's Latin name) with a telescope — except to view certain highlights — is akin to closely scrutinizing a painting with a magnifying glass, which only reveals the coarse canvas, and not the actual art itself.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The industry needs to be held responsible for scrutinizing entire supply chains and making modifications to reduce harm, Petrie says.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2025
Codifying and scrutinizing what in the past was either let go or ruled on from the margins by officials is, in many ways, admirable.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Instead of further scrutinizing the FBI director, though, Republicans are more likely to back him.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrutinizing
Verb
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Pritzker suggested that the Illinois Attorney General and local state’s attorneys may be examining allegations of misconduct and wrongdoing within DHS.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
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Several films offer immediate responses to critical current events, while others take time to reflect, examining the social realities and challenges shaping people’s lives today.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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The Seventh Circuit’s opinion underscored that the judiciary retains a role in reviewing statutory conditions for troop deployment, while the New York decision reaffirmed congressional mandates that security grants be based on risk assessment rather than political considerations.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On a sunny September afternoon, Pérez peered down the street outside her children’s school, scanning for suspicious vehicles.—
Melissa Sanchez,
ProPublica,
10 Oct. 2025
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Operating quick game requires a quarterback capable of scanning quickly and decisively pulling the trigger.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Operators should also follow federal aviation rules when using drones for tasks like mapping, surveying or capturing images at public events.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
15 Oct. 2025
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After surveying full-time employees at 1,150 companies, the researchers found that workslop is flowing in all directions inside firms.—
Lila MacLellan,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Other violations, like the Israel army’s killing of six Palestinian civilians inspecting their homes after the ceasefire was announced, aren’t anomalies.—
Faisal J. Abbas,
semafor.com,
16 Oct. 2025
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Footage and images released by the Chilean Navy on the social-media platform X in recent days show Iquique's maritime authority inspecting foreign fishing vessels off the city to verify their compliance with legal regulations and international agreements.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrutinizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrutinizing. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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