inspect
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to look carefully at or over; view closely and critically.
to inspect every part of the motor.
- Synonyms:
- study, investigate, scrutinize, examine
-
to view or examine formally or officially.
The general inspected the troops.
verb
-
to examine closely, esp for faults or errors
-
to scrutinize officially (a document, military personnel on ceremonial parade, etc)
Other Word Forms
- inspectability noun
- inspectable adjective
- inspectingly adverb
- inspection noun
- inspectional adjective
- inspective adjective
- preinspect verb (used with object)
- quasi-inspected adjective
- reinspect verb (used with object)
- self-inspected adjective
- uninspected adjective
- well-inspected adjective
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”
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.
Each racer is given roughly an hour to “inspect” a course, gradually sliding through each turn and making note of the best line, the steepness of the pitch, the quality of the snow.
From Los Angeles Times
Environmental Protection Agency officials became sick while inspecting the site.
From Los Angeles Times
On Friday, the sheriff’s department said investigators were inspecting the information in a new message regarding Nancy Guthrie.
She was shown inspecting North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile while holding her father's hand.
From BBC
After inspecting the cut on her son's forehead, however, Jiller simply smiled and shrugged.
From Literature
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.
