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

Northwest Naturals was last inspected in March, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and had no violations. —Brenda Goodman, CNN, 18 Jan. 2025

If no marker appears at the address, the property has not yet been inspected. —Yoonserk Pyun, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2025

California Four lawsuits filed against Southern California Edison over Eaton fire Jan. 13, 2025 Powell added that the towers in the area were built in the 1970s and 1980s and that both the lines and towers had most recently been inspected in 2024. —Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025

The pair inspected access areas and connector tools that may be used to perform maintenance work on the AMS on future spacewalks. —Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2025

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