Check it out first vs Inspect

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Check it out first

Informal Top 3,000 (common)

Inspect

Top 2,000 (common) C1 verb

Most formal: Inspect Most common: Inspect

	Check it out first	Inspect
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //tʃɛk ɪt aʊt fɜːst// 🇺🇸 //tʃɛk ɪt aʊt fɜrst//	🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈspekt/","/ɪnˈspekts/","/ɪnˈspektɪd/","/ɪnˈspektɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈspekt/","/ɪnˈspekts/","/ɪnˈspektɪd/","/ɪnˈspektɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	Look at or examine something before deciding.	To look at something carefully to learn more about it.
Example	Before you buy that phone, you should check it out first.	The teacher walked around inspecting their work.
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 3,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	-	C1
Part of speech		verb
Collocations	check out a website, check out something new, check out the menu	carefully, closely, thoroughly, allow somebody to, be entitled to, for, carefully, closely, thoroughly, allow somebody to, be entitled to, for
Antonyms	-	ignore, overlook, neglect
Common mistakes	Using in overly formal contexts., Confusing with 'check it' which lacks the meaning of examining., Omitting 'it' can make the phrase unclear.	'Inspect' is often confused with 'expect', leading to incorrect use., 'Inspect' is sometimes misused as a noun; it's only a verb., Learners might forget to use an object with 'inspect'.
Usage notes	Commonly used in casual conversations among friends or peers. Avoid in formal settings.	Use 'inspect' when examining objects, processes, or situations closely. More formal than 'look at'. Avoid in casual conversations where simpler words like 'check out' or 'look' are more common.

See it in real clips

Breaking Bad › S1 E1

check it out first.

Check it out first

Inspected. Morphine.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Your orders to me were to inspect the latrines at 1000 hours.

Inspected. Morphine.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Your orders to me were to inspect the latrines at 1000 hours.

Inspect

Frequently asked questions: Check it out first vs Inspect

What's the difference between Check it out first and Inspect?

Check it out first: Look at or examine something before deciding. Inspect: To look at something carefully to learn more about it.

Which is more formal: Check it out first and Inspect?

Inspect is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Check it out first and Inspect?

Inspect is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Check it out first: Before you buy that phone, you should check it out first. Inspect: The teacher walked around inspecting their work.

Can I use Check it out first and Inspect interchangeably?

Not always. Check it out first and Inspect are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.