inspect

verb

in·​spect in-ˈspekt 

inspected; inspecting; inspects

transitive verb

1

: to view closely in critical appraisal : look over

2

: to examine officially

inspects the barracks every Friday

intransitive verb

: to make an inspection

inspective

in-ˈspek-tiv 

adjective

Synonyms

• audit
• check (out)
• con
• examine
• overlook
• oversee
• review
• scan
• scrutinize
• survey
• view

Choose the Right Synonym for inspect

scrutinize, scan, inspect, examine mean to look at or over.

scrutinize stresses close attention to minute detail.

scrutinized the hospital bill

scan implies a surveying from point to point often suggesting a cursory overall observation.

scanned the wine list

inspect implies scrutinizing for errors or defects.

inspected my credentials

examine suggests a scrutiny in order to determine the nature, condition, or quality of a thing.

examined the specimens

Examples of inspect in a Sentence

She had the car inspected by a mechanic before she bought it.

The candles are inspected for damage before being packaged.

After the storm, we went outside to inspect the damage.

He inspected the soldiers' barracks.

inspecting a restaurant for health code violations

Recent Examples on the Web

The Notre-Dame model comes with a removable roof so that builders can inspect its interior columns and rose windows. —Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2024

Nonetheless, the district is implementing its invasive mosquito protocol in response to the detection, which includes sending technicians to inspect front and backyards in the neighborhood where the pest was found and applying treatments where needed to limit the mosquitoes’ spread. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 4 June 2024

As the officer and his sergeant inspected the damage, a man ran up behind McKinney and hit him with the skateboard, police said. —Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2024

These areas won’t work as well for a size 22 blue-wing olive hatch, but even in fast-moving water, trout will smash a big cicada fly without having much time to inspect the fly. —Ryan Chelius, Field & Stream, 29 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin inspectus, past participle of inspicere, from in- + specere to look — more at spy

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

inspect

verb

in·​spect in-ˈspekt 

1

: to examine closely (as for judging quality or condition)

inspect meat

2

: to view and examine officially

inspect the troops

Legal Definition

inspect

transitive verb

in·​spect

1

: to view closely and critically

2

: to examine officially

inspect the facility for code violations

intransitive verb

: to make an inspection