examination

noun

ex·​am·​i·​na·​tion ig-ˌza-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce examination (audio)
1
: the act or process of examining : the state of being examined
2
: an exercise designed to examine progress or test qualification or knowledge
3
: a formal interrogation
examinational adjective

Examples of examination in a Sentence

On closer examination, the painting appears to be a fake. The victim's clothes were sent to the lab for examination. The police made a rigorous examination of the evidence at the crime scene. The court ordered that the defendant undergo a psychiatric examination. I have to study for the history examination. procedures that are not allowed during examination of witnesses
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.
The study, published in the journal BDJ Open, helped test CT as a method for future examinations, Betilsson explained. Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025 Though Hamas had long claimed that Shiri and the children died in an Israeli air strike, an Israeli forensic examination showed that the children were murdered with the bare hands of their captors and then mutilated in an attempt to blame Israelis for their deaths. The Editors, National Review, 24 Feb. 2025 Dave, too, has a particular complex case requiring careful examination. Claire Franken, TVLine, 23 Feb. 2025 Arriving in Israel, both were taken to medical centers for examination. CBS News, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for examination

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of examination was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Examination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/examination. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

examination

noun
ex·​am·​i·​na·​tion ig-ˌzam-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce examination (audio)
1
: the act or process of examining : the state of being examined
2
: a test to determine progress, fitness, or knowledge

Medical Definition

examination

noun
ex·​am·​i·​na·​tion ig-ˌzam-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce examination (audio)
: the act or process of inspecting or testing for evidence of disease or abnormality see physical examination

Legal Definition

examination

noun
ex·​am·​i·​na·​tion
: the act or process of examining
especially : a formal questioning especially in a court proceeding see also cross-examination, direct examination, recross-examination, redirect examination compare affidavit, deposition

More from Merriam-Webster on examination

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!