inspect
Americanverb (used with object)
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to look carefully at or over; view closely and critically.
to inspect every part of the motor.
- Synonyms:
- study, investigate, scrutinize, examine
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to view or examine formally or officially.
The general inspected the troops.
verb
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to examine closely, esp for faults or errors
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to scrutinize officially (a document, military personnel on ceremonial parade, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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inspectabilitynoun
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inspectionnoun
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preinspectverb (used with object)
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reinspectverb (used with object)
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inspectableadjective
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inspectionaladjective
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inspectiveadjective
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quasi-inspectedadjective
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self-inspectedadjective
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uninspectedadjective
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well-inspectedadjective
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inspectinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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inspectsimple
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inspectssimple
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have inspectedperfect
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has inspectedperfect
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am inspectingprogressive
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are inspectingprogressive
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is inspectingprogressive
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have been inspectingperfect progressive
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has been inspectingperfect progressive
Past
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inspectedsimple
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had inspectedperfect
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was inspectingprogressive
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were inspectingprogressive
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had been inspectingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of inspect
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin inspectus “looked into,” past participle of inspicere “to look into,” from in in- 2 + -spicere, combining form of specere “to look, regard, see”
Explanation
When you inspect something, you look at it carefully. When you're buying a used car, you should inspect it inside and out, and if you don't know much about what goes on under the hood, you should have a mechanic inspect it, too. Inspect means literally "to look into," and includes the Latin root that you find in lots of other words related to "look" — spectacle, respect, and spectator for instance. If you work in a restaurant, you may see a health department official come to inspect the operation, to make sure everything is clean and the food is stored and cooked properly and that the restaurant doesn't have any health code violations that might make your diners sick.
Vocabulary lists containing inspect
Common Senses: Spec, Spect, Spic ("Look")
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Copper Sun
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Boy: Tales of Childhood
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Domani plays a prominent role in New York City’s construction industry, acting as an independent third party to inspect work sites to ensure construction complies with safety codes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
On July 10, the city obtained a warrant in Los Angeles Superior Court to inspect district property.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
Even today, pathologists diagnosing disorders such as Alzheimer's disease typically inspect a handful of tissue samples from an organ containing some 86 billion neurons.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
A presidential commission to determine how habitable buildings are has been organizing workshops to prepare engineers and architects to inspect buildings damaged by the earthquakes.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
The one who looked and moved like a bird was the first to walk into the house and inspect everything, as if he’d just walked into a bazaar.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
And Oracle independently inspects and verifies every piece of the application’s source code and each software update.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Adalberto Maypora, a well-known character around town, inspects his fishing boat on a deserted beach nestled between cliffs.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
Edison’s transmission manual dated December 20, 2024 states that it inspects idle lines every three years, while active ones are inspected annually.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2025
“The Anxious Generation,” by Jonathan Haidt, inspects the pervasive anxiety of the modern era and offers solutions to heal it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025
Caesar unclasps his leather holster, inspects his guns and cartridges.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
It’s unclear how thoroughly the boat, which was documented in Stockton, was maintained or inspected before this week’s voyage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
The second adjuster confirmed that the entire roof and gutters had sustained hail damage from the same storm the agent had inspected for.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
In May, 999 days after officials first inspected the wall, the attorney general filed suit, escalating the battle to the state’s highest levels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Two days after the earthquakes, Chilean rescuers inspected the area and returned with radar equipment after gathering the accounts of neighbors.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
Something glittered in the lantern light, and when Anya inspected further, she saw a broad red scale stuck to a piece of wood.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
On Saturday, ten days after the earthquakes that have left 2,954 dead and thousands still missing, Brazilian and Spanish missions continued inspecting destroyed areas alongside their dogs.
From Barron's ● Jul. 5, 2026
Hine often donned disguises or pretended to be inspecting a factory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
Pictures from outside exam centres showed security personnel inspecting candidates' hair, and taking out their earrings.
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026
The follow-up work included inspecting suspected areas of interest and reviewing places where sealant had already been applied.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 8, 2026
Ike slouched next to him, inspecting his fingernails.
From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
