inspector

noun

in·​spec·​tor in-ˈspek-tər 

1

: a person employed to inspect something

2

a

: a police officer who is in charge of usually several precincts and ranks below a superintendent or deputy superintendent

b

: a person appointed to oversee a polling place

inspectorship

in-ˈspek-tər-ˌship 

noun

Examples of inspector in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump's firing of inspectors was contentious A president can fire inspectors general, but Congress requires 30 days' notice and an explanation for removing an inspector general. —Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025

Everyone along the supply chain process — from farms, to customs inspectors, to processing centers — has to hire extra people for the holiday, Boldt said. —Leah Asmelash, CNN, 12 Feb. 2025

By the time Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services inspectors Laura Sanchez and Timothy O’Neil left 12171 W. Sunrise Blvd. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2025

In an effort to sell more tickets, the NFL approved the addition of 13,000 temporary seats in the end zones, but approximately 1,250 were deemed unsafe by inspectors. —Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing inspector

• inspector general

Kids Definition

inspector

noun

in·​spec·​tor in-ˈspek-tər 

1

: a person who makes inspections

meat inspector

2

: a police officer ranking just below a superintendent or deputy superintendent

inspectorship

-ˌship 

noun

Legal Definition

inspector

noun

in·​spec·​tor

1

: a person employed or authorized to inspect something

2

: a police officer in charge of a number of precincts and ranking below a superintendent or deputy superintendent