inspect

Synonym Chooser

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inspect These rules are meant to reduce fire hazards and ensure safety, and many counties inspect these sites annually to ensure compliance. Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 July 2025 Once home, inspect your luggage with a flashlight and clean the wheels before bringing it into your bedroom. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 July 2025 The boat doesn’t need to be inspected by the Coast Guard or have more advanced safety gear on board. Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025 Those payments are required whether an adjuster has inspected your home or not, said Michael Soller, a spokesperson with the California Department of Insurance. Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for inspect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inspect
Verb
  • There are two approaches to this: comprehend the historical odds and position yourself ahead of the earnings release, or examine the correlation between immediate and medium-term returns post-earnings and position yourself accordingly after the earnings are announced.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • And don’t forget to examine your nails and the bottoms of your feet, Reid says.
    Stacey Colino, Time, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Victor’s characters were magnetically awkward, their address was intimate and direct, and their creator scanned as a pretty weirdo with a tap on the discourse and on the possibilities of the contemporary internet.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 29 June 2025
  • Researchers with the organization scanned 700 miles of Lake Michigan using sonar technology and used models to recreate the weather patterns that Flight 2501 would have encountered the night of the crash.
    Toria Sheffield, People.com, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Materials reviewed by the FBI included personal details about the victims, including their names, physical descriptions, places of birth, associates and employment history.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 8 July 2025
  • Also recommended are: Giving office walk-ins a virtual place in line to reduce wait times at clerk offices, exploring self-service kiosks at major offices and reviewing fees for purchasing vital records.
    Sophie Levenson, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • In New Mexico, stories and survey data from participating youth helped make the case to legislators that the state should grow and sustain the program with state funds.
    Linda Darling-Hammond, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Using cutting-edge radar technologies, the satellite is on a five-year mission to survey forests across sprawling swaths of the globe, looking beneath their canopies to accurately assess their total woody biomass—trunks, limbs, stems, and so on.
    Emma R. Hasson, Scientific American, 1 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inspect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inspect. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on inspect

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!