inspect

verb

in·spect | \ in-ˈspekt

inspected; inspecting; inspects

Definition of inspect

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

Other Words from inspect Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about inspect

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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

Police concerned that a possible serial killer is on the loose in Detroit began inspecting hundreds of vacant homes Friday for more victims and identified a person of interest, two days after the decomposed body of a third woman was discovered. — Fox News, "Person of interest in custody in women's deaths in Detroit," 8 June 2019 Police concerned that a possible serial killer is on the loose in Detroit began inspecting hundreds of vacant homes Friday for more victims, two days after the decomposed body of a third woman was discovered. — Ed White, chicagotribune.com, "Detroit boarding up vacant homes amid possible serial killer," 7 June 2019 Soybeans inspected for export from ports in the Pacific Northwest—a main U.S. originator of soybeans bound for China—recently stood 82% below their year-ago level. — Jacob Bunge, WSJ, "Tariffs May Crown Corn King Again," 28 Oct. 2018 In 1997, the rover Sojourner rolled down a ramp from the Mars Pathfinder lander onto the Martian landscape to begin inspecting the soil and rocks of the red planet. — BostonGlobe.com, "This day in history," 6 July 2018 Her career highlights included diving to inspect algae in a crater formed by a nuclear blast and eluding pirates on expeditions in the Indian Ocean. — James R. Hagerty, WSJ, "Llewellya Hillis Discovered That Reefs Aren’t Just About Coral," 24 May 2019 Now’s a great time to inspect porcelain grates for chips that may lead to rust later on. — Joe Lindsey, Popular Mechanics, "How to Clean Your BBQ Grill," 14 May 2019 Kirstjen Nielsen finishes up a two-day tour of the border to inspect the conditions at processing and detention facilities for migrants in both El Paso, Texas and Yuma, Arizona. — Amanda Sakuma, Vox, "Trump is using the deaths of two migrant children to push for his border wall," 29 Dec. 2018 The Better Business Bureau says to inspect cards carefully before they're purchased. — Marisa Lascala, Good Housekeeping, "New Gift Card Scam Wipes Cards Before You Can Even Give Them, Warns the BBB," 7 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inspect.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.