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Analyze or analyse?

Analyze or Analyse? (Explained & Examples)

Last Updated

To analyze is a verb that means to “examine the nature or structure of something”; but should it be spelled analyze or analyse?

Analyze vs. analyse

The word analyze (which is the verb form of the noun, analysis), has two common spellings that vary according to US English and UK English rules:

👍🏼Usage Note

The scientists analyzed the data carefully.

The researcher analysed the results before publishing.

She analysed the sample incorrectly.

They have analysied the evidence.

  • UK English spells “analyse” with “-yse” at the end.
  • US English spells “analyze” “-yze” at the end.
UK English US English
Learn to step back and critically analyse situations. We need to analyze what went wrong.

Words ending in “-yze” or “ize” / “-ise” or “-yse”

UK English US English
analyse analyze
realise realize
paralyse paralyze
breathalyse breathalyze
UK/US English “-yze”/”-yse”. Chart by Grammarflex

Other forms of analyze

forms of analyze (verb) (US spellings) analyzed, analyzing, analyzes

(UK spellings) analysed, analysing, analyses

forms of “analysis” (noun) analyst
adjective analytic

Sentences with analyze/analyse

Learn to step back and critically analyze/analyse situations.

The first step is to define and analyze/analyse the problem.

The water samples will be analyzed/analysed for the presence of polluting chemicals.

The job involves collecting and analyzing/analysing data.

💡Study Tip

“analyze” (US) vs. “analyse” (UK), associate the “z” in analyze with American English and the “y” in analyse with British English.

Sentences with analyze/analyse in the media

The professionals performed their life-saving techniques while calmly talking and analyzing the scene.

—Al Gaspeny, arkansasonline.com, 2 Feb. 2024

To help correct this long standing issue, researchers recently created a novel computational program capable of analyzing the relationships between various SLs.

—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 1 Feb. 2024

On the Vision Pro, Copilot will be able to hear your voice, write, generate content, and analyze data, according to Microsoft.

—Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 1 Feb. 2024

Synonyms of analyze

As in examine or determine:

  • consider
  • evaluate
  • interpret
  • scrutinize
  • spell out
  • figure out

As in break down:

  • determine
  • dissect
  • parse
  • resolve

Origin of the word analyze

From Etymonline:

c. 1600, of material things, “to dissect, take to pieces,” from French analyser, from the noun analyse “analysis” (see analysis). The general sense of “to examine closely” dates from 1809; the psychological sense is by 1909. Related: Analyzed; analyzing.

Learn more about US English vs. UK English

Sources

  1. Apple Vision Pro Bug Possibly ‘Exploited’ Before Patch Rollout” Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 1 Feb. 2024
  2. Computer modeling is tracing the hidden evolution of sign languages“, Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 1 Feb. 2024

Work Sheet

Question 1 of 10

According to the blog post, what is the primary difference between “analyze” and “analyse”?



What does the verb “analyze” (or “analyse”) mean, according to the post?



Which ending is typically used for the verb “analyze” in US English?



Which ending is typically used for the verb “analyse” in UK English?



According to the post, which is an incorrect spelling for the past tense of “analyze” in US English?



The scientists the data carefully. (Choose the correct US spelling of the past tense)



The researcher the results before publishing. (Choose the correct UK spelling of the past tense)



The job involves collecting and data. (Choose the correct US spelling of the present participle)



Learn to step back and critically situations. (Choose the correct UK spelling of the base verb)



We need to what went wrong. (Choose the correct US spelling of the base verb)





Frequently Asked Questions

How are analyze/analyse different?
+

These are two common spellings of the same verb. “Analyze” with “-yze” is the US English spelling, while “analyse” with “-yse” is the UK English spelling. Both mean to examine something.

What spelling does US English use?
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US English uses the spelling “analyze” with the “-yze” ending. For example, “The scientists analyzed the data carefully” uses the correct US spelling of the verb “analyze.”

What spelling does UK English use?
+

UK English uses the spelling “analyse” with the “-yse” ending. For example, “The researcher analysed the results before publishing” uses the correct UK spelling of the verb “analyse.”

Other forms of analyze/analyse?
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Other forms include analyzed/analysed, analyzing/analysing, analyzes/analyses (verb). Related words are “analysis” (noun), “analyst” (noun), and “analytic” (adjective).

How to remember US vs UK spelling?
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A tip is to associate the “z” in “analyze” with American English and the “y” (or visualise the ‘s’) in “analyse” with British English. This helps recall the correct regional spelling.

Yash, D. "Analyze or Analyse? (Explained & Examples)." Grammarflex, Jun 3, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/analyze-or-analyse-explained-examples/.

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