question 1 of 2

1
as in problem
an interrogative expression often used to test knowledge because I have missed so many classes, I had a hard time answering every question on today's surprise quiz

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in request
an act or instance of asking for information after reading the brief statement to the reporters, the lawyer ended the press conference by saying, "No more questions, please" the dozens of questions researched by the reference librarians

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4

question

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to challenge
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of the teenager openly questioned the authority of the town's police force to impose a curfew on residents under the age of 18

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to doubt
to have no trust or confidence in it was apparent that voters were questioning the President's ability to manage the economy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in to ask
to put a question or questions to the press should be allowed to question public officials about any matter of general interest

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
as in to examine
to put a series of questions to the police questioned the suspect before deciding that there was insufficient evidence to hold him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb question contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of question are ask, inquire, interrogate, and query. While all these words mean "to address a person in order to gain information," question usually suggests the asking of series of questions.

questioned them about every detail of the trip

When can ask be used instead of question?

Although the words ask and question have much in common, ask implies no more than the putting of a question.

ask for directions

In what contexts can inquire take the place of question?

While in some cases nearly identical to question, inquire implies a searching for facts or for truth often specifically by asking questions.

began to inquire of friends and teachers what career she should pursue

When could interrogate be used to replace question?

The meanings of interrogate and question largely overlap; however, interrogate suggests formal or official systematic questioning.

the prosecutor interrogated the witness all day

When would query be a good substitute for question?

In some situations, the words query and question are roughly equivalent. However, query implies a desire for authoritative information or confirmation.

queried a librarian about the book

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 question
Noun
Asked for an interview about Indiana’s special education failures, Nancy Holsapple, the IDOE director of special education, responded through a spokeswoman requesting interview questions ahead of time. IndyStar, 8 Sep. 2025 The primary question is the motivation of the government, First Amendment experts told The Republic. Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
He was taken to a police station for questioning but refused to comment, police said. Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025 The board member who questions your judgment again. Naz Beheshti, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for question
Recent Examples of Synonyms for question
Noun
  • Today, Anousheh is the CEO of the XPRIZE Foundation, an organization that has helped solve massive social problems by setting grand challenges for teams to compete and solve.
    Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Folks, the problem is not the sign, the decor or the politics.
    Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • La Luz del Mundo did not respond to a request for comment.
    Luc Cohen, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The request was met with boos from some Democrats who pointed out that a Colorado school shooting on the same day had not received the same ceremony.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The objections that stopped earlier attempts are now dissolving.
    Sandy Peng, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Libraries received only 12 formal objections since 2021 Changes brought by the supervisors' stand in contrast to how library administrators historically have dealt with book objections.
    Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • These two energies seduced me to find womxn who, through their artistic work, were open to rebellious acts such as publishing art books on essential topics.
    Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.
    Eric E. Harrison, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But over the past few years, conservatives have used the committee as a personal tool to subvert and challenge GOP leaders.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Foreign-aid organizations challenged the administration's ability to refuse to spend funds already allocated by Congress.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Even the assassination of political figures is not the same thing as just being shot in the throat for the crime of debating issues in the public square.
    J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 13 Sep. 2025
  • As the Fed debates its next move, remember that Warren Buffett isn’t trying to guess tomorrow’s stock chart.
    Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • His recent tax cuts add to the unsustainable public debt the US is piling up, and to investor doubts our financial health over time.
    Harry Holzer, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • After getting with the medical staff, Topa doubts the knee injury is too serious.
    David Brown, Twin Cities, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Ahead of Kirk's visit to Utah Valley University, some students started an online petition asking university administrators to stop him from coming.
    Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
  • When asked by a reporter for more details about how Trump planned to ban mail-in ballots, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the administration planned to work with Republicans on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures.
    Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Question.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/question. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

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