scan

1 of 2

verb

ˈskan 

scanned; scanning

transitive verb

1

: to read or mark so as to show metrical structure

scan poetry

2

: to examine by point-by-point observation or checking:

a

: to investigate thoroughly by checking point by point and often repeatedly

a fire lookout scanning the hills with binoculars

b

: to glance from point to point of often hastily, casually, or in search of a particular item

scan the want ads looking for a job

3

a

: to examine systematically (as by passing a beam of radiation over or through) in order to obtain data especially for display or storage

scanned the patient's heart

radar scans the horizon

scan the photos into the computer

b

: to pass over in the formation of an image

the electron beam scans the picture tube

intransitive verb

1

: to scan verse

2

: to conform to a metrical pattern

this poem scans well

scannable

ˈska-nə-bəl 

adjective

scan

2 of 2

noun

1

: the act or process of scanning

2

: a radar or television trace

3

: an image formed by scanning something: such as

a

: a depiction (such as a photograph) of the distribution of a radioactive material in something (such as a bodily organ)

b

: an image of a bodily part produced (as by computer) by combining ultrasonic or radiographic data obtained from several angles or sections

Synonyms

Verb

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

Noun

• audit
• check
• checkup
• examination
• going-over
• inspection
• look-see
• review
• scrutiny
• survey
• view

Choose the Right Synonym for scan

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 scan in a Sentence

Verb

He scanned the field with binoculars.

He scanned the audience looking for his parents.

She scanned his face for any clue to what he was thinking.

She quickly scanned the pages of the newspaper.

She scanned through the list to find her name.

Their bags were scanned at the airport.

This machine scans a patient's brain.

Noun

The patient underwent a brain scan.

The doctor examined the bone scans.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

On the consumer side, the researchers envision one-day building out an app grocery store patrons could use to scan a potato and look up its particular attributes. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 25 Apr. 2024

Attempts to locate the men stretched for the next several days and the search was marked with crews using sonar imaging to scan the river’s murky depths, a helicopter and drones. —Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Apr. 2024

Essentially, this form of cybersecurity involves mimicking what cybercriminals have been doing and scanning the surface to identify any weak points in your network, system, or organization. —William Mullane, The Arizona Republic, 21 Apr. 2024

Fans stumbled upon the murals, which Swift had not announced, and scanned them to find a link to a YouTube Shorts video. —Saba Hamedy, NBC News, 19 Apr. 2024

Now people can scan a QR code on a paper map or a mobile link, hold up their phone to a building, and see what the ghost sign used to look like. —Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024

Instead of scanning in when the customer enters the store and simply leaving when done shopping, customers must stop at the Grabango kiosk on the way out to scan their app to complete the purchase. —USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024

His team spent a week scanning the Santa Monica Mountains, capturing the texture of the landscape. —Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024

To compare postmenopausal women’s risk of heart issues to the risk for men, the researchers also scanned men with a similar profile in terms of race, age, statin use, blood pressure, and diabetes status as the women screened. —Maggie O'Neill, Health, 11 Apr. 2024

Noun

Their mom had a bad cough, and had gotten a CT scan. —Carrie Feibel, NPR, 29 Apr. 2024

As of today, it’s been almost a year since any of his scans have shown evidence of cancer. —Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Apr. 2024

Researchers also decided to revisit older fossils, using new technologies, including CT scans, to give them a second look. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2024

Some question if putting oneself up for voluntary exposure to radiation from these types of scans can, itself, cause issues. —Max Berlinger, Robb Report, 18 Apr. 2024

But a new scan revealed what seemed to her like a miracle. —Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024

Her gynecologist ordered it to follow up on a previous scan from several years prior, which revealed that Viehmann had osteopenia, a condition preceding osteoporosis. —Elizabeth B. Kim, The Enquirer, 10 Apr. 2024

Her condition was discovered at her 12-week scan, Montgomery told South West News Service. —Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024

Normal lung tissue appears black on a CT scan, but GGOs are lightly colored or gray patches. —Leah Groth, Health, 30 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English scannen, from Late Latin scandere, from Latin, to climb; akin to Middle Irish sceinnid he springs, Sanskrit skandati he leaps

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing scan

• CAT scan
• CT scan
• PET scan
• side-scan sonar

Kids Definition

scan

1 of 2 verb

ˈskan 

scanned; scanning

1

: to read or mark verses so as to show stress and rhythm

scan poetry

2

a

: to examine thoroughly

scanned their faces for signs of anger

b

: to make a wide sweeping search of

scanning the field with binoculars

c

: to look through or over hastily

scanned the headlines

d

: to examine systematically (as by passing a beam of radiation over or through) in order to obtain data especially for display or storage

scanned the patient's heart

scan the photos into the computer

3

: to move across in successive lines to form an image on a cathode-ray tube

the electron beam scans the face of the picture tube

scan

2 of 2 noun

1

: the act or process of scanning

2

: an image formed by scanning something: as

a

: a picture of the distribution of radioactive material in something (as a bodily organ)

b

: a picture of part of the body made (as by a computer) by combining separate pictures taken from different angles or of different sections

Medical Definition

scan

1 of 2 verb

ˈskan 

scanned; scanning

transitive verb

1

a

: to examine especially systematically with a sensing device (as a photometer or a beam of radiation)

b

: to pass an electron beam over and convert (an image) into variations of electrical properties (as voltage) that convey information electronically

2

: to make a scan of (as the human body) in order to detect the presence or localization of radioactive material

intransitive verb

: to make a scan of the body or of an organ or part

scan

2 of 2 noun

1

: the act or process of scanning

2

a

: a depiction (as a photograph) of the distribution of a radioactive material in something (as a bodily organ)

b

: an image of a bodily part produced (as by computer) by combining ultrasonographic or radiographic data obtained from several angles or sections