scrutinise
To look at something very closely and carefully to check every detail.
scrutinise in a sentence
- The detective scrutinised the muddy footprints with her magnifying glass.
- The judges scrutinise every cake at the village show, checking each crumb before choosing a winner.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to scrutinise?
- Aexamine
- Bmiss
- Cignore
- Dskim
Show the answer
A: examine. The other three mean the opposite of scrutinise.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to scrutinise?
- Aexamine
- Bignore
- Cstudy
- Dinspect
Show the answer
B: ignore. The other three mean nearly the same as scrutinise.
Words that mean something similar
examine, inspect, study
Words that mean the opposite
ignore, skim, miss
More words about thinking & learning
- shrewd: Clever at judging people and situations, especially to get what you want.
- specific: Exact and clearly stated, not general.
- strive: To try very hard to achieve something.
- subtle: Small and not obvious, so it is easy to miss.
- superficial: Only on the surface, without going deep.
- thorough: Done carefully and completely, with nothing missed out.
- unanimous: Agreed by every single person, with nobody voting against.
- uncanny: Strange in a way that is hard to explain and slightly spooky.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test