INSPECT Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'inspect' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of inspect are examine , scan , and scrutinize . While all these words mean "to look at or over," inspect implies scrutinizing for errors or defects. // inspected my credentials

Q: When can 'examine' be used instead of 'inspect'?

The words examine and inspect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, examine suggests a scrutiny in order to determine the nature, condition, or quality of a thing. // examined the specimens

Q: When might 'scan' be a better fit than 'inspect'?

In some situations, the words scan and inspect are roughly equivalent. However, scan implies a surveying from point to point often suggesting a cursory overall observation. // scanned the wine list

Q: When would 'scrutinize' be a good substitute for 'inspect'?

The synonyms scrutinize and inspect are sometimes interchangeable, but scrutinize stresses close attention to minute detail. // scrutinized the hospital bill

inspect

verb

in-ˈspekt

Definition of inspect next

as in to examine

to look over closely (as for judging quality or condition) inspected the collie before the dog show

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How is the word inspect different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of inspect are examine, scan, and scrutinize. While all these words mean "to look at or over," inspect implies scrutinizing for errors or defects.

inspected my credentials

When can examine be used instead of inspect?

The words examine and inspect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, examine suggests a scrutiny in order to determine the nature, condition, or quality of a thing.

examined the specimens

When might scan be a better fit than inspect?

In some situations, the words scan and inspect are roughly equivalent. However, scan implies a surveying from point to point often suggesting a cursory overall observation.

scanned the wine list

When would scrutinize be a good substitute for inspect?

The synonyms scrutinize and inspect are sometimes interchangeable, but scrutinize stresses close attention to minute detail.

scrutinized the hospital bill

Examples of inspect in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The aircraft is being inspected by our maintenance team. —

Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2024 Robots have been deployed to inspect railways and in airports to handle luggage, help clean facilities and assist with security inspections. —

Kristin J. Bender, The Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2024 When the portal asked them for a driver’s license number, Parker right-clicked to inspect the browser’s HTML code — a basic option available to anyone — and deleted a few lines of code requiring them to submit their driver’s license number. —

Doug Bock Clark, ProPublica, 5 Aug. 2024 The qualitative study inspected language used by 11 Church of England dioceses to describe their new churches. —

Jasmine Baehr, Fox News, 17 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inspect

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inspect.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.