inspect
Americanverb (used with object)
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inspects,
present (3rd person singular)
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inspected,
past participle, past
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inspecting
present participle
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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
-
had inspectedperfect
-
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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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:
Stupnikov named his battalion, and said he was out to inspect surveillance cameras and test the radio connection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
On 5 October, prosecutors say he allegedly returned to inspect the device in the office room.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
"But openness also benefits defenders: researchers can inspect the code, identify weaknesses and improve protection."
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Cells constantly inspect their proteins because damaged or incorrectly folded proteins can interfere with normal function.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026
“Do not get up. I have to inspect your limbs,” the Gran said.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
Polymarket’s chief competitor, Kalshi, doesn’t, though that company inspects funds withdrawn to different payment mechanisms and freezes suspicious payments, a person familiar with that company’s protocols said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
The state agency that inspects amusement parks, Cal/OSHA, said it “has opened an inspection into the reported incident involving the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain” that occurred July 5.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 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
The body also inspects some independent schools in England, while others are assessed by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2026
He inspects the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, some fiendish and immitigable hope flaring within him: What if-—?
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
“Our responsibility would be to make sure that any new track is inspected and safe for operations,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
The watchdog said a biological safety team had inspected the Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East in Irkutsk and found no emergency situation there.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Our school would be housed in the Mountain State Spotlight newsroom, which had not been inspected as a school site.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
When investigators inspected Enbody in 2025, they found ingredients imported from Chinese suppliers that weren’t registered with the FDA, including a box labeled retatrutide, public records show.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 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
City crews have also been clearing more than 31,000 catch basins and drainage systems and inspecting and reinforcing vulnerable hillsides and burn areas, including Pacific Palisades, Bass said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
China's Premier Li Qiang was quickly despatched to the region, where he was seen inspecting debris removal - a rare visit by the country's second-most important leader so soon after a major disaster.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
He was pictured inspecting a seafood processing facility on the island of Iturup, which Japan calls Etorofu.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Two weeks later, I noticed the fire and safety team walking through the prison, holding clipboards, testing alarms, and inspecting extinguishers.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Their eyes washed over their bodies, inspecting them, but they didn’t otherwise budge.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
