Basic Details
Word: Scrutiny
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Careful and detailed examination of something, often to find faults.
Synonyms: examination, inspection, investigation
Antonyms: neglect, disregard
How to Spell Scrutiny
Syllables: scru - ti - ny
Tricky part: There is one t and one n, and the word ends in y. The middle vowel is i, so scrutany and scruteny are wrong.
Watch out for: scrutany, scruteny, scrutinny, scrutney
Memory tip: Three short beats, each with one vowel sound: scru (u), ti (i), ny (y). Tap the desk once per beat as you write.
Idioms and Phrases
- under scrutiny: being watched or examined very closely Example: "After the bridge cracked, the builder's work came under scrutiny."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The new rules will face scrutiny from parents and teachers.
Example 2: Under close scrutiny, the painting turned out to be a copy.
Example 3: Every answer sheet goes through careful scrutiny before results are declared.
Fun Fact
The Latin root, scrutari, meant to search carefully, and it is thought to come from scruta, old rags or rubbish. So scrutiny began as searching through junk.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word scrutiny as used in the sentence:
The athlete's blood samples were sent for close scrutiny to a laboratory in Delhi.
a) storage
b) delivery
c) neglect
d) examination
Show answer
d) examination. Samples sent to a laboratory are examined; neglect is the opposite.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
scrutinny
a) t
b) n
c) i
d) u
Show answer
b) n. Scrutiny has a single n before its final y; one of the two has to go.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. survaillance 2. investigasion 3. scrutiny 4. inspecsion
a) a search for the facts about something
b) an official visit to check something
c) a close and careful examination
d) careful watching of a person or place
Show answer
c) a close and careful examination. Surveillance has ei, and inspection and investigation end in -tion; scrutiny alone is right.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these involves scrutiny?
a) a cat sleeping in a patch of warm sun
b) friends singing loudly at a birthday party
c) a child running to catch the school bus
d) a teacher checking every answer for errors
Show answer
d) a teacher checking every answer for errors
2. A plan that can survive scrutiny is one that is ____.
a) cheap and made in a great hurry
b) loud and full of bright colours
c) old and long forgotten by everyone
d) sound even when checked closely
Show answer
d) sound even when checked closely
