unexamined

Word family

• examine
  verbB2
• examination
  nounB2
• examiner
  nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These four words all describe something that has not been looked at properly, but they differ in what kind of attention is missing. 'Unexamined' is the broadest — it covers physical inspection, mental analysis, and critical review equally, which is why 'an unexamined life' and 'an unexamined bag' both sound natural. 'Unchecked' emphasises the absence of verification: you check a list, check facts, or check for errors. An unchecked error is one nobody caught; an unexamined error might have been looked at but not analysed deeply. 'Uninspected' is the most physical of the group — you inspect a building, a vehicle, or goods for damage. 'Unscrutinised' is the most formal and intellectual: it is used when close, critical analysis is missing, often in academic or political contexts. Compare: 'The unexamined data sat on her desk for weeks' (she never got around to studying it) versus 'The unscrutinised policy passed without debate' (nobody subjected it to careful analysis).

Common collocations

Etymology

Formed from the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') and 'examined', the past participle of 'examine'. 'Examine' comes from Latin 'examinare', meaning 'to weigh or test accurately', which itself derives from 'examen' (the tongue of a balance). The word entered English through French in the 14th century. The negative form 'unexamined' has been in use since at least the 16th century.