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

Parks inspectors and crews are working 12-hour shifts throughout the weekend to address storm damage, officials say. — Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 26 Sep. 2026

Small homes, big problems At one home with a mental health license, NOA ALF, state inspectors counted three toothbrushes in a bathroom that appeared to serve five residents, records show. — Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

In all, nearly 18,000 regulatory actions were taken by county pesticide safety inspectors across California from the start of 2020 through June 2025. — Robert J. Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

Many legacy reactors across the world share similar characteristics, and understanding their fuel cycle helps inspectors detect illicit proliferation. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 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