SCAN Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'scan' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of scan are examine , inspect , and scrutinize . While all these words mean "to look at or over," scan implies a surveying from point to point often suggesting a cursory overall observation. // scanned the wine list

Q: When is it sensible to use 'examine' instead of 'scan'?

The words examine and scan can be used in similar contexts, but examine suggests a scrutiny in order to determine the nature, condition, or quality of a thing. // examined the specimens

Q: When would 'inspect' be a good substitute for 'scan'?

The meanings of inspect and scan largely overlap; however, inspect implies scrutinizing for errors or defects. // inspected my credentials

Q: When could 'scrutinize' be used to replace 'scan'?

In some situations, the words scrutinize and scan are roughly equivalent. However, scrutinize stresses close attention to minute detail. // scrutinized the hospital bill

scan 1 of 2

verb

ˈskan

Definition of scan

as in to examine

to look over closely (as for judging quality or condition) scanned the manuscript carefully for any overlooked errors

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scan

2 of 2

noun

as in inspection

a close look at or over someone or something in order to judge condition gave the car a good scan to see if it was worth buying

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word scan different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of scan are examine, inspect, and scrutinize. While all these words mean "to look at or over," scan implies a surveying from point to point often suggesting a cursory overall observation.

scanned the wine list

When is it sensible to use examine instead of scan?

The words examine and scan can be used in similar contexts, but examine suggests a scrutiny in order to determine the nature, condition, or quality of a thing.

examined the specimens

When would inspect be a good substitute for scan?

The meanings of inspect and scan largely overlap; however, inspect implies scrutinizing for errors or defects.

inspected my credentials

When could scrutinize be used to replace scan?

In some situations, the words scrutinize and scan are roughly equivalent. However, scrutinize stresses close attention to minute detail.

scrutinized the hospital bill

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of scan

Verb

The goal is for doctors someday to be able to use the information from the mouthpiece scan to treat head injuries. — Kristine Sorensen, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 Carnival also had no record of him scanning his key card to leave the ship. — Curran Rastogi, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026

Noun

During the surgery, the AI tool analyzed the live surgical video feed in real time, rather than using scans taken before the operation. — Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 But Philipps’ preemptive scan saved her life, and the surgery went smoothly. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scan

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scan

Verb

Movie night this past week was Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River, an absolutely devastating neo-Western that examines the injustice many Native American women face on and off the reservation.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Now, in this new study, the international team examined the curious fossil under cross-polarized light, allowing more of its structure to be visible.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of examine

Noun

Give New Arrivals a Quarantine Period Even the most careful inspection isn’t foolproof, so consider also keeping plants that spent the summer outdoors separate from your indoor collection for a few weeks.

— Rachel Gillett, Martha Stewart, 25 Aug. 2026
Eat & Run passed a callback inspection Friday to reopen in time for weekend business.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of inspection

Verb

Congress now has 90 days of continuous session to review the agreement, which would go into effect absent objection.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Still, the archetypal influencer in our cultural imagination is not a man reviewing watches on YouTube or hosting a podcast from his studio in Austin.

— Laura Jung, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of review

Noun

Swelling and spinal shock can cloud the earliest neurological picture, and physicians repeat examinations over time for good reason, as many people once given a grave prognosis go on to recover.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Brown is scheduled to travel with the major-league team back to Chicago after Wednesday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks for further examination.

— Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of examination

Verb

In 2024, the Federal Trade Commission surveyed eight businesses that had advertised their use of AI and real-time data to determine prices, including Mastercard, JPMorgan Chase and retail pricing software companies.

— Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Roman is also designed to survey the universe a thousand times faster than Hubble, according to NASA.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of survey

Noun

The deal, however, may not sit comfortably with all shareholders since, even though the audit committee is independent, its members are chosen by the company’s board on which all three DraftKings cofounders, including Kalish, have a seat.

— Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Two years after an internal audit of the Canadian federal government found that 132 pieces in its Indigenous art collection were unaccounted for, the government has still failed to locate 111 of these objects, per reports.

— News Desk, Artforum, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of audit

Browse Nearby Words

scamsters

scan

scandal

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Cite this Entry

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“Scan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scan. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of scan

verb

noun

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