inspection
Americannoun
-
inspections
plural
-
the act of inspecting or viewing, especially carefully or critically.
an inspection of all luggage on the plane.
-
formal or official viewing or examination.
an inspection of the troops.
Usage
What is an inspection? An inspection is an instance of viewing, examining, or critically analyzing something with the purpose of improving it or highlighting something. Inspections are often done to identify specific problems or aspects of something. For example, you might perform an inspection of your body after walking in the woods to see if any ticks have attached themselves to you. An inspection can also be a formal examination of something or someone to see if they meet specific requirements. A vehicle inspection, for example, is performed by a trained professional who reviews your vehicle against a list of safety checks to ensure your car is safe to drive. Example: My whole fleet of trucks will be up for a safety inspection in a few months.
Synonym Usage
See examination.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of inspection
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English inspeccio(u)n, from Latin inspectiōn- (stem of inspectiō ). See inspect, -ion
Explanation
Every year, your car must get an inspection by an authorized mechanic who verifies that it is not a hazard on the road or harmful to the environment. An inspection is an official examination. Inspection can also mean "a close look at." If you discover a bug in your back yard, it might require a careful inspection to figure out what kind of insect it is. An idea might sound good, but on closer inspection, you find that it won't work. Think of inspection as someone looking closely at something to determine a set of facts.
Vocabulary lists containing inspection
Vocabulary from history writings about the Triangle Factory Fire
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"The Moustache" and "Who We Really Are"
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"Flesh & Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy" by Albert Marrin
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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:
What if you had more than three options, given that you weren’t happy with the inspection on the house you found?
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
Although that inspection did not result in a seizure of the vessel, others have.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The city of Newark has been pressing for The GEO Group to permit a fire inspection and obtain a certificate of occupancy for the sprawling private jail.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
However, upon further inspection, it’s not clear that any of this is legally binding, and Blanche himself admitted as much during his hearing last month.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
“An emergency safety thingamajing, -jig, while they’re putting a newly made andy through its routine inspection checks. Get it out. It resembles an oyster. You’ll see it.”
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
Standard home inspections don’t necessarily involve checks for problems like lead, mold or termites — but that also varies by state and inspector.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
One good thing for buyers in a hurry is that physical inspections of properties are less common than in the U.S., and the focus is more on the financing and legal side.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
Despite inspections finding some improvements, concerns about the prison have persisted among inmates, their families and the authorities.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
This time, the U.S. did not say whether a specific incident prompted it to suspend inspections in Michoacán.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
This composition ensured that the panel would lean toward opposing a test ban based on doubts about the feasibility of inspections.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
