Scrutinize vs. inspect: what’s the difference?
The short answer
Scrutinize implies a very thorough, detailed, and critical examination, often to find faults or errors. Inspect means to look at or examine something, often for official or routine purposes, and can be less intensive than scrutinize.
What they have in common
Both scrutinize and inspect involve examining something carefully.
Examples
scrutinize
- The detective scrutinized the evidence for any hidden clues.
- She scrutinized the financial report before making a decision.
- He scrutinized every detail of the proposal to find potential issues.
inspect
- The technician inspected the equipment for any defects.
- They will inspect the building to ensure it meets safety standards.
- She inspected the artwork closely at the gallery.
Which one is more common?
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