as in examining
to look over closely (as for judging quality or condition)
scanned the manuscript carefully for any overlooked errors
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Recent Examples of scanning
That leaves pilots scanning readings on the dashboard or guessing which side has lost thrust — all as the plane may be losing altitude.
—
James Glanz, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Randy and Gwen McCurdy stood on their porch off Main Street on Monday night in Ottawa, Kansas, scanning the sky for signs of the storm.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
This technique involves scanning a nanoscale electron probe across a material to capture overlapping diffraction patterns.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026
With Waymo cars constantly scanning the roads, cities can tap into a steady stream of real-world data without having to build a whole new system from scratch.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
If the user followed the instructions, including entering a PIN or scanning a QR code, their Signal accounts were linked to an external device controlled by the hackers.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
OpenAI’s Sam Alman cofounded World, which recently announced plans to partner with companies like Zoom and DocuSign to offer its identity verification tools — in the form of eye-scanning orbs.
—Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026
From the vantage point of L2, the X-ray spacecraft was able to gather the data that informed this soft X-ray map by scanning the sky four times between 2019 and 2021.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
In some cases, paid ICE officers were scanning IDs while unpaid TSA workers were working the security scanning machines at Hartsfield-Jackson.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
James Glanz, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Randy and Gwen McCurdy stood on their porch off Main Street on Monday night in Ottawa, Kansas, scanning the sky for signs of the storm.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
This technique involves scanning a nanoscale electron probe across a material to capture overlapping diffraction patterns.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026
With Waymo cars constantly scanning the roads, cities can tap into a steady stream of real-world data without having to build a whole new system from scratch.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
If the user followed the instructions, including entering a PIN or scanning a QR code, their Signal accounts were linked to an external device controlled by the hackers.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
OpenAI’s Sam Alman cofounded World, which recently announced plans to partner with companies like Zoom and DocuSign to offer its identity verification tools — in the form of eye-scanning orbs.
—Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026
From the vantage point of L2, the X-ray spacecraft was able to gather the data that informed this soft X-ray map by scanning the sky four times between 2019 and 2021.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
In some cases, paid ICE officers were scanning IDs while unpaid TSA workers were working the security scanning machines at Hartsfield-Jackson.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scanning
Verb
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Given the highly turbulent nature of the solar atmosphere, researchers are now examining whether similar variations in type III burst drift rates could be driven by magnetic irregularities, including switchbacks or broader field deflections.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
3 May 2026
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Last month, Disability Law Colorado released a report examining conditions inside youth detention facilities.—
Karen Morfitt,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
Verb
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Coach Mitch Johnson must have known the Spurs needed to get the De’Aaron Fox-Victor Wembanyama pick-and-roll going more after reviewing Game 1.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
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Users will be able to choose between an automatic process, or reviewing changes to memory directly.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The show is a culinary guessing game, where bakers must decode and decipher what type of dessert was made after surveying small clues like crumbs and food trails.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
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Many of us have dreamed of stepping into Carrie Bradshaw’s walk-in closet and surveying a sea of Manolo Blahnik shoe boxes.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The black-and-white surveillance video from November 2024 shows a masked thief carefully inspecting and stuffing seven of Van Gaver's pigeons into a bag.—
Sharyn Alfonsi,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
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When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Viall has made his show essential listening (and viewing) for completionist reality fans.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
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These ranged from fan-zone activations and the Amex Racing Club—complete with multiple beauty-refresh stations and massage chairs—to a prime trackside viewing lounge located near the first turn.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scanning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scanning. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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