analyze

verb

an·​a·​lyze ˈa-nə-ˌlīz How to pronounce analyze (audio)
analyzed; analyzing

transitive verb

1
: to study or determine the nature and relationship of the parts of (something) by analysis
2
: to subject to scientific or grammatical analysis
chemically analyze a specimen
analyze a sentence
3
analyzable adjective
analyzer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for analyze

analyze, dissect, break down mean to divide a complex whole into its parts or elements.

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

dissect suggests a searching analysis by laying bare parts or pieces for individual scrutiny.

commentators dissected every word of the speech

break down implies a reducing to simpler parts or divisions.

break down the budget

Examples of analyze in a Sentence

While Wroe offers some basic biographical information and quotes copiously from Shelley's writings, she does not tell a chronological story or analyze individual poems. Adam Kirsch, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2007
They are not doing the math. Doing the math would mean demonstrating that the voters' intuitive judgments are roughly what they would get if they analyzed the likely effects of candidates' policies, and this is a difficult calculation to perform. Louis Menand, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2004
Ms. Magazine's online daily weblog, written by Christine Cupaiuolo, analyzes the representation of women in media and popular culture. Here are excerpts from recent postings. Ms., Fall 2003
The data was recorded and analyzed by computer. We took the sample to be chemically analyzed by a lab. Researchers are busy analyzing the results of the study. The bacteria were analyzed under a powerful microscope.
Recent Examples on the Web Linking Calcium and Vitamin D to Disease Risk For the study, researchers analyzed records from more than 36,000 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that's been running since 1992. Maggie O'Neill, Health, 21 Mar. 2024 Sky News analyzed the metadata of the image file, which was taken by Prince William in Windsor, and claimed to find proof that Photoshop was used. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024 The Wisconsin Policy Forum report breaks down which parts of the housing market are facing the biggest crisis, analyzing home prices and rents by county. Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024 The report is based on data from Gallup World Poll surveys from 2021 to 2023 that is analyzed by some of the world’s leading experts on well-being. Victoria Bisset, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 The annual World Happiness Report, launched in 2012 to support the United Nations' sustainable development goals, is based on data from U.S. market research company Gallup, analyzed by a global team now led by the University of Oxford. Fox News, 20 Mar. 2024 The company has designed software that analyzes brain signals and translates them into output commands to control external devices. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024 There’s been an opportunity to process and analyze. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2024 Google Lens will analyze the image and provide relevant search results, such as every website where that image or a similar image profile is found. Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'analyze.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably by back-formation from analysis, with -is taken as a suffix, and -ys- identified with the verb-forming suffix -ize, spelled -yze/-ize/-yse/-ise in the 17th century

Note: Alternatively, the verb could arise by haplology from*analysise. Note that analysis comes into vernacular use only a couple decades before the verb. Compare analyst.

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of analyze was in 1587

Dictionary Entries Near analyze

Cite this Entry

“Analyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/analyze. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

analyze

verb
an·​a·​lyze ˈan-ᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce analyze (audio)
analyzed; analyzing
: to study or find out the nature and relationship of the parts of by analysis
analyzable adjective
analyzer noun

Medical Definition

analyze

transitive verb
an·​a·​lyze
variants or British analyse
analyzed or British analysed; analyzing or British analysing
1
: to study or determine the nature and relationship of the parts of by analysis
especially : to examine by chemical analysis
2

More from Merriam-Webster on analyze

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