scan through

USAGE SUMMARY

"scan through" is a correct and usable expression in written English.
It is usually used when referring to something that needs to be read quickly or searched quickly, usually to find a particular piece of information. For example: "I scanned through the report to find the figures I needed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Other benefits of Grindr-Xtra include the swipe feature to easily scan through profiles.

HuffPost

Might just scan through them, casually.

The Guardian - Money

A scan through the list of grant recipients supports this assessment.

The New York Times - Arts

Let's scan through the trailer to discover the many faces of Taylor... Taylor does determination.

The Guardian - Film

Often the first thing we do in the morning is scan through our emails.

The Guardian - Opinion

Increasingly powerful computers can scan through these photos and find patterns and meaning.

The New Yorker

Scan through our best packages and book your adventure for 2019.

The Telegraph

12Sara Lazar performs an MRI brain scan through the Benson Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine.

Harvard University

But a swift scan through the record books takes us back two decades to the 1986-87 competition.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

I have just scanned through a description of your traumatic experience of giving birth.

The Guardian

He suggests scanning through a few months' data to get a fuller picture.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "scan through" when you need to quickly find specific information within a larger body of text or data. For example, "I had to scan through hundreds of documents to find the relevant clauses."

Common error

Avoid using "scan through" excessively in formal reports or academic papers. Opt for more precise verbs like "analyze", "examine", or "review" to convey a more thorough and scholarly approach.

Linguistic Context

The phrasal verb "scan through" functions primarily as a verb indicating the action of quickly examining something, typically a document or data, to locate specific information. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is correct and commonly found.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "scan through" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed phrasal verb, indicating a swift examination of content to locate specific details. Ludwig AI's analysis underscores its versatility, appearing across diverse contexts such as news, scientific literature, and academic texts. While its register is mostly neutral, its presence in formal sources suggests cautious application. For more formal contexts, synonyms like "examine" or "review" might prove more suitable. Remember, efficient information retrieval is the key when using "scan through"!

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

skim through

Implies a very rapid and superficial reading, perhaps even more so than "scan through".

browse through

Suggests a more leisurely and less focused examination than "scan through".

look over

A general term for reviewing something, which may or may not be quick.

run through

Suggests a quick practice or rehearsal, but can also mean to quickly review.

flick through

Similar to leaf through, suggesting a quick flipping of pages to get a general sense.

leaf through

Specifically refers to flipping pages quickly, often in a book or magazine.

go over

Implies reviewing something, often with the intent of understanding or correcting it.

peruse

Implies a more careful and thorough reading, contrasting with the speed of "scan through".

glance at

Suggests a very brief and quick look, even shorter than "scan through".

check out

A more informal way of saying to examine or investigate something.

FAQs

How can I use "scan through" in a sentence?

You can use "scan through" to describe the action of quickly reviewing something to find specific information, such as, "I had to scan through the contract to find the clause about termination."

What's a good alternative to "scan through"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "skim through", "browse through", or "look over".

Is it correct to say "scanned through" or "scan through"?

"Scan through" is the base form. "Scanned through" is the past tense form. For example, "I scan through the documents every day", or "I scanned through the documents yesterday".

What's the difference between "scan through" and "read through"?

"Scan through" implies a quick, less detailed review, while "read through" suggests a more thorough and complete reading of the material.