a new appraisal or evaluation
"The manager called for an annual review of my performance to discuss my promotion prospects."
an essay or article that gives a critical evaluation (as of a book or play)
"The literary magazine published a scathing review of the new novel, arguing that the plot was predictable and the characters flat."
a subsequent examination of a patient for the purpose of monitoring earlier treatment
"The doctor scheduled a follow-up review next month to monitor how well her medication is working after the initial surgery."
(accounting) a service (less exhaustive than an audit) that provides some assurance to interested parties as to the reliability of financial data
"The company hired a review firm to provide limited assurance on their year-end financial statements before submitting them to investors."
a periodical that publishes critical essays on current affairs or literature or art
"She subscribed to several literary reviews to stay updated on the latest discussions about contemporary fiction."
a summary at the end that repeats the substance of a longer discussion
"At the conclusion of our deep dive into quantum mechanics, we will review the three key principles we discussed earlier to ensure everyone is on the same page."
(law) a judicial reexamination of the proceedings of a court (especially by an appellate court)
"The Supreme Court agreed to review the lower court's ruling on whether the search warrant was obtained legally."
a formal or official examination
"the platoon stood ready for review"
"we had to wait for the inspection before we could use the elevator"
A second or subsequent reading of a text or artifact in an attempt to gain new insights.
"After finishing my first pass through the manuscript, I sat down for a careful review to see if any hidden themes had emerged that I missed before."
In plain English: A review is a written opinion about something that tells people if it was good or bad.
"He asked to see his driving review before he could get his license."
look back upon (a period of time, sequence of events); remember
"she reviewed her achievements with pride"
To survey; to look broadly over.
"The captain ordered everyone on deck to review the coastline before making landfall."
In plain English: To review something means to look over it again to check your work or remember what you already know.
"She decided to review her notes before the final exam."
Usage: Use review as an intransitive verb when describing the act of examining something thoroughly, such as reviewing evidence or reviewing a contract. Avoid using it interchangeably with inspect if you need to emphasize checking for specific defects rather than gaining a broad overview.
The word review comes from the Old French revue, which literally means "a seeing again." It entered English in the 14th century with this original sense, eventually evolving to describe a critical examination or inspection of something previously seen.