Examine vs The police look at the treasurer

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Examine

Top 2,000 (common)B1verb

The police look at the treasurer

Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Examine
 ExamineThe police look at the treasurer
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/ɪɡˈzæmɪn/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnz/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnd/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪɡˈzæmɪn/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnz/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnd/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //ðə pəˈliːs lʊk æt ðə ˈtrɛʒə//🇺🇸 //ðə pəˈlis lʊk æt ðə ˈtrɛʒər//
Meaningto look at something carefully to learn more about itThe police examine or focus on the person in charge of money.
ExampleThe doctor will examine your health thoroughly during the check-up.The police look at the treasurer's financial records for any discrepancies.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR levelB1-
Part of speechverb
Collocationscarefully, closely, in detail, aim to, attempt to, be designed to, for, let us examine…, carefully, closely, in detail, aim to, attempt to, be designed to, for, let us examine…look at evidence, look at results, look at options
Antonymsignore, overlook, neglect-
Common mistakesConfused with 'inspect' — 'examine' is broader than just checking for flaws., Misusing the tense — should use 'examined' for past actions, not 'examine'., Incorrect prepositions — do not say 'examine to' but 'examine for' in some contexts.Confusing with 'look for' which means to search., Using 'look' without 'at' for this meaning., Misplacing the object, saying 'the treasurer looks at the police'.
Usage notesUse 'examine' in formal contexts like academic writing or professional discussions. It may sound out of place in casual conversations, where 'look at' might be preferred.Used in everyday conversation. Not typically used in formal writing. It implies attention or scrutiny.

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The police look at the treasurer

Frequently asked questions: Examine vs The police look at the treasurer

What's the difference between Examine and The police look at the treasurer?

Examine: to look at something carefully to learn more about it The police look at the treasurer: The police examine or focus on the person in charge of money.

Which is more common: Examine and The police look at the treasurer?

Examine is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Examine: The doctor will examine your health thoroughly during the check-up. The police look at the treasurer: The police look at the treasurer's financial records for any discrepancies.

Can I use Examine and The police look at the treasurer interchangeably?

Not always. Examine and The police look at the treasurer are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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