analyze
v.v. to look at something carefully to understand its parts or how it works. You do this when you want to figure out the deeper meaning of a problem or a set of data.
v. to examine the structure or components of something methodically and in detail, typically for purposes of explanation and interpretation.
The scientists analyze the water samples to check for pollution.
The marketing team will analyze the recent sales data to see which products are performing best this quarter.
Before committing to the merger, the board hired an independent firm to analyze the competitor's financial liabilities and project their long-term market viability.
Probably formed within English, by back-formation, or by haplology from analysis + -ize, or from Middle French analyser, from the noun analyse, from Medieval Latin analysis, from Ancient Greek ἀνάλυσις (análusis, “a breaking up, a loosening, releasing”), from ἀναλύω (analúō, “to unloose, release, set free”), from ἀνά (aná, “on, up, above, throughout”) + λύσις (lúsis, “a loosening”), from λύω (lúō, “to unfasten”).
The verb is strictly transitive and requires a direct object.