Synonyms of dissect

dissect

verb

dī-ˈsekt 

as in to analyze

to identify and examine the basic elements or parts of (something) especially for discovering interrelationships

let's dissect the plot of this thriller to see what makes it thrilling

Synonyms & Similar Words

• analyze
• examine
• assess
• investigate
• diagnose
• evaluate
• cut
• deconstruct
• divide
• anatomize
• inspect
• scrutinize
• assay
• break down
• classify
• categorize
• tabulate
• codify
• subdivide
• arrange
• enumerate
• catalog
• index
• reduce
• order
• sort
• segment
• separate
• schematize
• catalogue
• diagram
• assort

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• integrate
• synthesize
• consolidate
• aggregate
• assimilate
• unify
• coalesce
• conglomerate
• amalgamate
• agglomerate

Synonym Chooser

How is the word dissect distinct from other similar verbs?

The words analyze and break down are common synonyms of dissect. While all three words mean "to divide a complex whole into its parts or elements," dissect suggests a searching analysis by laying bare parts or pieces for individual scrutiny.

commentators dissected every word of the speech

When might analyze be a better fit than dissect?

The words analyze and dissect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, analyze suggests separating or distinguishing the component parts of something (such as a substance, a process, a situation) so as to discover its true nature or inner relationships.

analyzed the collected data

When can break down be used instead of dissect?

The meanings of break down and dissect largely overlap; however, break down implies a reducing to simpler parts or divisions.

break down the budget

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of dissect

The fashion critics and fans will have plenty more to dissect when the Trumps take up residence in the White House later this month. —Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 9 Jan. 2025

JPMorgan’s trading desk focused on the monthly core CPI number as the most critical, and dissected how the S & P 500 might move depending on the reading. —Yun Li, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025

Visitors to the Science Museum will be able to see the menagerie’s most famous resident: Louis XV’s rhinoceros, given to the king by a French governor based in India and later dissected and taxidermied upon its death. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Jan. 2025

Understanding its physiology involves dissecting the core components and processes that ensure authenticity and reliability. —Glen Robinson, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025