Examine
Examine verb - To put a series of questions to.
Understand and examine are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Understand" instead a verb "Examine".
Understand
Understand verb - To form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information.
Examine and understand are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Examine" instead a verb "Understand".
Common collocations
| idea | examine idea | understand idea |
| nature | examine nature | understand nature |
| system | examine system | understand system |
| situation | examine situation | understand situation |
| Other words: actions, consequences, implications, motivations. | ||
Both words in one sentence
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In Volunteers, Lawrence and At Toon have trouble understanding Lucille, so they examine her subtitles to understand what she is saying.
Source: Fun with Subtitles -
Fun with Subtitles: Lawrence and At Toon have trouble understanding Lucille, so they examine her subtitles to understand what she is saying.
Source: Film / Volunteers -
First the other creatures feel strangely drawn to the eggs, with a desire to examine them and understand them, which gives way to a desire to nurture the delicate little creatures and protect them.
Source: Video Game / System Shock
Cite this Source
Understand and Examine. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 22, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/examine/understand
Examine & Understand. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/examine/understand>.
Understand or Examine. 2016. Accessed July 22, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/examine/understand.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "examine" and "understand" have occurred on timeline