What does perused mean?
Perused is the past tense and past participle of peruse, meaning to read or examine something carefully and thoroughly. The word often appears in formal contexts involving documents, contracts, reports, evidence, or lengthy texts, where attention to detail matters. Peruse suggests more than simply looking over something: it conveys a methodical and deliberate examination. Although the term is fully standard in British and American English, it can sound formal or slightly old-fashioned, and “read carefully” may be preferred in more casual writing. The pronunciation is pə-ROOZED, with stress on the second syllable. Perused should not be confused with pursued, which means to follow or try to achieve, or with previewed, which means to inspect or watch briefly in advance.
verbTo read or examine something carefully and thoroughly, usually in order to understand or assess it. It is the past tense and past participle of peruse.
- To read or examine something carefully and thoroughly.
"The committee perused the report before making its recommendation."
"She perused the terms of the agreement with a lawyer present."
"The researcher perused the archive to locate references to the term."
If you have ever read every line of a long document, you have perused it: the word describes reading with painstaking attention.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does perused come from?
The word comes from Latin perusus, meaning “used up” or “exhausted.” English borrowed the form in the 16th century with the sense of examining or going through something carefully, likely developing from the idea of consuming a text or subject through reading. Its modern sense is now chiefly associated with careful reading and examination rather than literal exhaustion.
Related word forms
How perused is actually used
Peruse is formal and often suggests deliberate, thorough reading or inspection. It is commonly used with documents, texts, contracts, and evidence. The spelling can be confused with pursue, but the pronunciation and meanings are different.
Easily confused with perused
Peruse means to read or examine something carefully and thoroughly, whereas preview means to view or inspect it briefly before the full event, document, or release.
Peruse means to read or examine carefully, while pursue means to follow, chase, or try to achieve something.