inspection
[C/U] Both
pl: inspections
This term carries a heavy sense of authority and scrutiny. It is not a casual look, but a systematic, often critical evaluation conducted by someone with the power to approve or reject the subject. It implies a checklist, a set of regulations, and a formal outcome. In professional or legal settings, the word evokes a feeling of tension or anxiety for the person being inspected. It differs from a simple examination in that it specifically seeks faults, defects, or non-compliance rather than just seeking to understand how something works.
Countable when referring to a single scheduled event or a specific report (the annual inspection). Uncountable when referring to the general process of checking things (the inspection of aircraft).