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Synonyms

inspection

American  
[in-spek-shuhn] / ɪnˈspɛk ʃən /

noun

  1. the act of inspecting or viewing, especially carefully or critically.

    an inspection of all luggage on the plane.

  2. 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.

Related Words

See examination.

Other Word Forms

  • inspectional adjective
  • preinspection noun
  • reinspection noun
  • self-inspection noun

Etymology

Origin of inspection

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English inspeccio(u)n, from Latin inspectiōn- (stem of inspectiō ). See inspect, -ion

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.

Subsequently, Epstein used his girlfriend Shuliak and his network of contacts in Morocco to conduct further inspections of the property.

From BBC

The renovated space never passed inspection, and the club filed for bankruptcy at the end of the summer.

From The Wall Street Journal

The absence of regular U.N. inspections means that the exact scope of Iran’s current nuclear activities can’t be known for certain, experts caution.

From The Wall Street Journal

To conduct the analysis, scientists first reviewed tumor and benign tissue samples under visual inspection.

From Science Daily

With his tail fanning the air, he started his inspection of the lawn.

From Literature