once-over
noun
ˌwən(t)s-ˈō-vər 
ˈwən(t)s-ˌō-
: a swift examination or survey
especially
: a swift comprehensive appraising glance
gave me the once-over
Examples of once-over in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But once a module is shipped to a site, local inspectors will often do their own once-over.
—
Calmatters, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
But once a module is shipped to a site, local inspectors will often do their own once-over.
—Ben Christopher, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Abatemarco bought him a seat next to his to Raleigh, where Valvano gave the new kid a once-over, then turned to his assistant.
—Kevin Sherrington
feb. 10, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
To stay ahead of grime, do a quick once-over with a vacuum and damp cloth every couple of weeks.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 2 Feb. 2026
Here’s a tracker of just the retreads, after yesterday’s look at potential first-timers:
Flores joins several other once-overs in this hiring cycle, with only Raheem Morris and Mike McCarthy having had multiple head-coaching gigs.
—Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Some Sweaters Most durable knits, such as cotton and wool sweaters, respond well to a quick once-over with a sweater shaver.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Jan. 2026
When Carrasco invited me into their backyard, which was lively with chickens and dogs, Ezra ran up, gave me a quick once-over, and then darted off to play on the swing set with his younger brother.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2025
Too bad because that April 9 official once-over went better than this one.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Calmatters, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
But once a module is shipped to a site, local inspectors will often do their own once-over.
—Ben Christopher, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Abatemarco bought him a seat next to his to Raleigh, where Valvano gave the new kid a once-over, then turned to his assistant.
—Kevin Sherrington
feb. 10, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
To stay ahead of grime, do a quick once-over with a vacuum and damp cloth every couple of weeks.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 2 Feb. 2026
Here’s a tracker of just the retreads, after yesterday’s look at potential first-timers:
Flores joins several other once-overs in this hiring cycle, with only Raheem Morris and Mike McCarthy having had multiple head-coaching gigs.
—Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Some Sweaters Most durable knits, such as cotton and wool sweaters, respond well to a quick once-over with a sweater shaver.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Jan. 2026
When Carrasco invited me into their backyard, which was lively with chickens and dogs, Ezra ran up, gave me a quick once-over, and then darted off to play on the swing set with his younger brother.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2025
Too bad because that April 9 official once-over went better than this one.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Once-over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/once-over. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
