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

Sacramento County health inspectors closed six eateries including a local banquet hall after finding approximately 90 rat feces in the facility and gnaw marks on a bag of rice. —Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado may 8, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026

As the inspector walked into the kitchen, eight flies were on the wall and an extension cord. —David J. Neal may 8, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026

Under both inspection methods — on-site before early 2025, or inspecting from nearby public spaces since early 2025 — the city has failed to establish productivity goals for inspectors, leading to widely varying productivity among inspectors. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026

The 2023 fire that closed the 10 Freeway was driven by pallets stored under the freeway near homeless encampments, all of which Caltrans inspectors had been aware of, The Times previously reported. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing inspector

• inspector general

Rhymes for inspector

• bisector
• collector
• connector
• corrector
• defector
• deflector
• detector
• director
• dissector
• effector
• ejector
• elector

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