inspect

verb

in·​spect in-ˈspekt How to pronounce inspect (audio)
inspected; inspecting; inspects

transitive verb

1
: to view closely in critical appraisal : look over
2
: to examine officially
inspects the barracks every Friday
inspective adjective
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 only authorities on the streets these days are Gaza’s economy ministry monitors, dressed in black civilian clothes, who occasionally inspect markets in Rafah and Deir al-Balah to try to stamp out price gouging by pressuring vendors to sell their goods at normal prices. Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024 Under this plan, aid will be routed through Cyprus, where Israel — which has welcomed the maritime corridor — will inspect shipments before they are allowed to continue to Gaza, as The Washington Post reported last week. Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 It was inspected and certified safe by the building's engineer at the time. Greg Allen, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 Other staff contacted farmers, reviewed CAFO records and inspected fields. Bennet Goldstein, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024 The thought of having both sides inspect thousands of pages of emails, along with more testimony about them, did not go over well with Farber. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2024 That balancing act was on public display after a post about the substance was inspected repeatedly by the company's content review bureaucracy. Darius Tahir, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Aid also passes into Gaza from Egypt through a crossing at the city of Rafah after Israeli officials inspect the cargo for weapons and other contraband. Michael Levenson, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 The initial recall fix had involved Ford updating parts in the vehicles and inspecting them to check the connection between the power steering pressure line and the hydraulic brake booster unit to prevent a sudden loss of power steering fluid, according to NHTSA. Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inspect.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of inspect was circa 1623

Dictionary Entries Near inspect

Cite this Entry

“Inspect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inspect. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

inspect

verb
in·​spect in-ˈspekt How to pronounce inspect (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on inspect

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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