What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
trawled
Example
The detective trawled through the suspect's phone records to find evidence. [trawled: verb]
Example
I trawled through the internet to find the best deals on flights. [trawling: gerund or present participle]
scanned
Example
I scanned the article to see if it was relevant to my research. [scanned: verb]
Example
She quickly scanned the menu to decide what to order. [scanning: gerund or present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Scan is more commonly used than trawl in everyday language. Scan is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while trawl is less common and is typically used in more specific or technical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between trawled and scanned?
While scan is typically associated with a neutral or informal tone, trawl is more formal and is often used in academic or professional settings.
