noun
-
a person who inspects, esp an official who examines for compliance with regulations, standards, etc
-
a police officer ranking below a superintendent or chief inspector and above a sergeant
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
inspectorshipnoun
-
preinspectornoun
-
subinspectornoun
-
subinspectorshipnoun
-
inspectoraladjective
-
inspectorialadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of inspector
1595–1605; < Latin, equivalent to inspec-, variant stem of inspicere ( see inspect) + -tor -tor
Explanation
An inspector is someone who looks into, observes, and examines things — it's also a word for a detective. The government employs many inspectors — an inspector has to check out the kitchen of a restaurant to see if they're following the rules for cleanliness. Hospitals need to let inspectors check things out, to make sure conditions are safe. Many types of business have inspectors — especially if there's a health concern. An inspector observes things carefully — an inspector checks things out.
Vocabulary lists containing inspector
"The Fun They Had"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: spec
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
In 2024, the planning inspector gave 16 months for most of the caravans and hardstanding on one site to be removed.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
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
Hochman said Flores should have reported his colleagues’ misconduct to internal affairs or the LAPD’s inspector general.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
The U.S. took the same precaution two years earlier, when an inspector received a threatening phone call.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
‘She looks like she needs a warm drink,’ the inspector said.
From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd
"The companies know how to work around the dust inspectors," said Gary Hairston, a former miner and the president of the National Black Lung Association.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Home inspectors don’t open up walls and remove flooring to check for hidden defects in a home, he noted.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
The party imposed formal penalties on more than 7,800 discipline inspectors in 2023, the highest annual total reported under Xi.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
He had willed it into existence in his characteristic way, fast and without faultfinding inspectors to impede his vision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
“The inspectors take one look at our processing shed, and they don’t know what to do with us.”
From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan
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.
