scanned; scanning
1
: to read or mark so as to show metrical structure
scan poetry
2
: to examine by point-by-point observation or checking:
a
: to investigate thoroughly by checking point by point and often repeatedly
a fire lookout scanning the hills with binoculars
b
: to glance from point to point of often hastily, casually, or in search of a particular item
scan the want ads looking for a job
3
a
: to examine systematically (as by passing a beam of radiation over or through) in order to obtain data especially for display or storage
scanned the patient's heart
radar scans the horizon
scan the photos into the computer
b
: to pass over in the formation of an image
the electron beam scans the picture tube
1
: the act or process of scanning
2
: a radar or television trace
3
: an image formed by scanning something: such as
a
: a depiction (such as a photograph) of the distribution of a radioactive material in something (such as a bodily organ)
b
: an image of a bodily part produced (as by computer) by combining ultrasonic or radiographic data obtained from several angles or sections
Synonyms
Examples of scan in a Sentence
Verb
He scanned the field with binoculars.
He scanned the audience looking for his parents.
She scanned his face for any clue to what he was thinking.
She quickly scanned the pages of the newspaper.
She scanned through the list to find her name.
Their bags were scanned at the airport.
This machine scans a patient's brain.
Noun
The patient underwent a brain scan.
The doctor examined the bone scans.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2023
Hands On With Malwarebytes Most antivirus programs include the option to scan your entire Mac for malware.
—PCMAG, 13 Sep. 2023
Clear taps into biometric scanning technology to let travelers skip tedious airport security and identification procedures — and the lines leading up to them.
—Talia Avakian, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2023
Regardless, my younger years of careless living came at a price, and evidence from my first coronary calcium scan (CCS), which is a special computerized tomography scan of the heart that looks for calcium deposits in the heart arteries, showed that my arteries were clogging and calcifying.
—Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 8 Sep. 2023
Pinterest said its body-type technology, developed to scan more than five billion images on its platform, would first roll out first within its wedding and women’s fashion content, with an aim to expand it to other categories, such as men’s fashion, in the future.
—Parija Kavilanz, CNN, 7 Sep. 2023
This is consistent with how other studies have found that children who experience violence learn to scan their environments for potential threats more so than children who do not.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023
His first experiment involved scanning 2 billion Reddit comments to train a language model.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 5 Sep. 2023
Sanford scanned the pooch and called the number on file, discovering the 15-year-old Bichon Frisé male had been missing for 12 years after a maintenance worker left a home's back gate open.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 5 Sep. 2023
Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2023
In July, the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) reportedly planned to pay background actors a low daily rate to take AI scans of them, according to SAG-AFTRA.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2023
Upon her entrance, she was required to take a pregnancy test and undergo two full-body scans, one of which was reviewed by a male officer.
—Jake Zuckerman, cleveland, 5 Sep. 2023
In May, Riley Greene is carrying the Tigers and finally unlocking pull-side power
The Tigers won't know more about the specifics and severity of the elbow injury until the follow-up scan.
—Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 2 Sep. 2023
In Samuel Simmonds Hospital in Utqiagvik, managed and operated by the Arctic Slope Native Association, making appointments, dispatching health emergency responders, and transmitting CT scans to Anchorage has been a challenge, ICAS officials said.
—Alena Naiden, Anchorage Daily News, 31 Aug. 2023
Doctors decided to conduct an MRI scan of her brain and spotted a growing lesion.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Aug. 2023
Security features include 24/7 scans of your network to detect malware, alerts for threats trying join your network, and the option to have an isolated guest network.
—Joseph Moran, Popular Mechanics, 29 Aug. 2023
However, 18 months later, in 2021, the AWR was discovered and immediately removed after the woman visited the hospital’s emergency department and received an abdominal CT scan.
—Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2023
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Verb
This cat was one of the animals brought to the Maui Humane Society to get scanned for a microchip.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2023
Hands On With Malwarebytes Most antivirus programs include the option to scan your entire Mac for malware.
—PCMAG, 13 Sep. 2023
Clear taps into biometric scanning technology to let travelers skip tedious airport security and identification procedures — and the lines leading up to them.
—Talia Avakian, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2023
Regardless, my younger years of careless living came at a price, and evidence from my first coronary calcium scan (CCS), which is a special computerized tomography scan of the heart that looks for calcium deposits in the heart arteries, showed that my arteries were clogging and calcifying.
—Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 8 Sep. 2023
Pinterest said its body-type technology, developed to scan more than five billion images on its platform, would first roll out first within its wedding and women’s fashion content, with an aim to expand it to other categories, such as men’s fashion, in the future.
—Parija Kavilanz, CNN, 7 Sep. 2023
This is consistent with how other studies have found that children who experience violence learn to scan their environments for potential threats more so than children who do not.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023
His first experiment involved scanning 2 billion Reddit comments to train a language model.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 5 Sep. 2023
Sanford scanned the pooch and called the number on file, discovering the 15-year-old Bichon Frisé male had been missing for 12 years after a maintenance worker left a home's back gate open.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 5 Sep. 2023
Noun
The decision to shut down Ohtani came early Friday evening after an MRI scan revealed there still was irritation in his oblique, general manager Perry Minasian said.
—Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2023
In July, the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) reportedly planned to pay background actors a low daily rate to take AI scans of them, according to SAG-AFTRA.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2023
Upon her entrance, she was required to take a pregnancy test and undergo two full-body scans, one of which was reviewed by a male officer.
—Jake Zuckerman, cleveland, 5 Sep. 2023
In May, Riley Greene is carrying the Tigers and finally unlocking pull-side power
The Tigers won't know more about the specifics and severity of the elbow injury until the follow-up scan.
—Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 2 Sep. 2023
In Samuel Simmonds Hospital in Utqiagvik, managed and operated by the Arctic Slope Native Association, making appointments, dispatching health emergency responders, and transmitting CT scans to Anchorage has been a challenge, ICAS officials said.
—Alena Naiden, Anchorage Daily News, 31 Aug. 2023
Doctors decided to conduct an MRI scan of her brain and spotted a growing lesion.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Aug. 2023
Security features include 24/7 scans of your network to detect malware, alerts for threats trying join your network, and the option to have an isolated guest network.
—Joseph Moran, Popular Mechanics, 29 Aug. 2023
However, 18 months later, in 2021, the AWR was discovered and immediately removed after the woman visited the hospital’s emergency department and received an abdominal CT scan.
—Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English scannen, from Late Latin scandere, from Latin, to climb; akin to Middle Irish sceinnid he springs, Sanskrit skandati he leaps
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of scan was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing scan
Dictionary Entries Near scan
Cite this Entry
“Scan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scan. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
scan
1 of 2 verb
scanned; scanning
1
: to read or mark verses so as to show stress and rhythm
scan poetry
2
a
: to examine thoroughly
scanned their faces for signs of anger
b
: to make a wide sweeping search of
scanning the field with binoculars
c
: to look through or over hastily
scanned the headlines
d
: to examine systematically (as by passing a beam of radiation over or through) in order to obtain data especially for display or storage
scanned the patient's heart
scan the photos into the computer
3
: to move across in successive lines to form an image on a cathode-ray tube
the electron beam scans the face of the picture tube
scan
2 of 2 noun1
: the act or process of scanning
2
: an image formed by scanning something: as
a
: a picture of the distribution of radioactive material in something (as a bodily organ)
b
: a picture of part of the body made (as by a computer) by combining separate pictures taken from different angles or of different sections
Medical Definition
scan
1 of 2 verb
scanned; scanning
1
a
: to examine especially systematically with a sensing device (as a photometer or a beam of radiation)
b
: to pass an electron beam over and convert (an image) into variations of electrical properties (as voltage) that convey information electronically
2
: to make a scan of (as the human body) in order to detect the presence or localization of radioactive material
: to make a scan of the body or of an organ or part
scan
2 of 2 noun1
: the act or process of scanning
2
a
: a depiction (as a photograph) of the distribution of a radioactive material in something (as a bodily organ)
b
: an image of a bodily part produced (as by computer) by combining ultrasonographic or radiographic data obtained from several angles or sections
More from Merriam-Webster on scan
Nglish: Translation of scan for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of scan for Arabic Speakers
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