3 syllables: ex, am, ines. Stress on am.
/ɪɡˈzæmɪnz/
Say it backExamines is the third-person singular present-tense form of examine, meaning to inspect, study, or consider something in detail. In everyday use it often appears in academic, legal, or analytical writing when describing careful scrutiny or analysis of evidence, data, or arguments. The pronunciation remains steady across contexts, even as semantics shift with subject matter.
"The committee examines the evidence before rendering a decision."
"Researchers examine the data from multiple angles to confirm the results."
"The prosecutor examines the witness during cross-examination."
Pronounce it as ɪgˈzæmɪnz. Start with a short, unstressed schwa-like first syllable in fluent speech: /ɪɡ/. The main stress lands on the second syllable: /ˈzæm/. The final -nes sounds like /nz/ (the -e- is not pronounced as a separate vowel). Mouth position: start with a light /ɪ/ in the first syllable, raise the jaw for /æ/ in the stressed syllable, finish with a quick /nz/. Overall rhythm is da-da-DA-minez, with the primary beat on the second syllable.
Two common errors: (1) Misplacing the stress, yielding ex-AM-ines or exa-MINES. Always place primary stress on the second syllable /ˈzæm/. (2) Pronouncing the ending as /ɪz/ or /iz/; in standard careful speech the ending is /nz/— the /n/ blends with /z/ to form /nz/. Practice by saying /ˈzæmɪnz/ slowly, then add rapid /n/ and /z/ contact. Slow practice with isolation: /ɡ/ or /ɡz/ can creep in if you overly emphasize the initial consonant; keep the initial /ɡ/ minimal and let the /ɡz/ blend naturally.
In US, UK, and AU, the core IPA remains /ɪɡˈzæmɪnz/. The main differences: rhotics and vowel quality. US/AU speakers typically maintain rhoticity, but in careful UK speech you may hear less r-coloring around /ɡˈzæm/. Vowel quality in /æ/ might be slightly more open in American accents. The /ɪ/ in the first syllable remains short in all, while the /z/ in /nz/ can be more clearly enunciated in careful UK speech and sometimes flapped in rapid US speech, though not typically changing the overall /nz/ cluster.
Because it includes a consonant cluster /mz/ immediately after the stressed vowel, creating a fast transition from /æ/ to /m/ to /ɪ/ to /nz/. The final /nz/ cluster can blur in connected speech, causing a tendency to reduce the /ɪ/ in the second syllable or to simplify the ending to /nz/ or /n/. The prefix-like feel of ex- and the unstressed first syllable add a timing challenge—ensuring the primary stress lands on the second syllable without undue length on the first.
The glide-to-stop transition in the second syllable, from /zæ/ to /mɪ/ with a quick /nz/ ending, requires precise tongue positioning to avoid slurring. The /z/ voice onset time combines with the following /æ/ to /m/ can create a slight delay if you over-articulate the /æ/. Keeping the jaw moderately open for /æ/ and relaxing the lips helps the /z/ to /m/ transition stay clean.
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Examines derives from the verb examine, from Latin examinare, literally meaning to weigh, test, or prove. The Latin root ex- ‘out’ plus examinare ‘to test, weigh, or probe’ indicates a sense of putting something to the test. The term entered English through scholarly and legal channels, adopting the sense of “to investigate or inspect carefully” by the 15th century. Over time, English usage broadened from physical inspection to analytical scrutiny, including examining arguments, hypotheses, and data. The present-tense third-person singular form examines follows standard English morphology: base verb examine plus -es for third-person singular. The evolution reflects a shift from concrete inspection to methodical inquiry in academic, scientific, and professional discourse. In modern usage, examines often implies a systematic, evidence-based process rather than casual glancing, aligning with formal writing styles in research, law, medicine, and policy analysis.
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Words that rhyme with "examines"
-mes sounds
-ims sounds
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