interrogation
noun
in·ter·ro·ga·tion
in-ˌter-ə-ˈgā-shən 
plural interrogations
: the act of interrogating someone or something: such as
a
: a formal and systematic questioning
She conducted a skillful interrogation of the witness.
It was old-fashioned interrogation and eavesdropping that first led U.S. intelligence agents to the … plotters.—
Michael Isikoff
Michael IsikoffAnd during interrogation, instead of just listening for inconsistencies in what is said, agents are being taught to look for minute physical reactions on the faces of people being questioned.—Ann Davis et al.
Ann Davis et al.
b
: the sending of an electronic signal intended to trigger a particular response from something (such as a transponder)
A transponder will send an identifying coded signal in response to a transmitted interrogation …—Jim Sparks
Jim SparksThe airborne equipment measures the time between the interrogation and the return signal, and converts this time measurement into a mileage reading on our instrument panel, on either a dial or digital counter.—Joseph W. Benkert
Joseph W. BenkertExamples of interrogation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Dansby's team and New Boston police officers were ultimately able to get Parker to confess to some of what happened, though her stories changed at times in interrogation footage shown in Maternal Instinct.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 14 June 2026
Japan hasn’t made access to lawyers during interrogations an absolute right despite being a member of The Group of Seven (G7) – an intergovernmental forum of the US and other Western allies that often emphasizes the importance of human rights and the rule of law.
—Yumi Asada, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
But Amazomania becomes an interrogation of the ethics of sending photographers and film crews into an area of isolated Indigenous people without asking their consent or giving them any say in what was filmed or how it was used.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 June 2026
This is the moment for sharper internal interrogation, not broader macro speculation.
—Richard Polgar, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for interrogation
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Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 14 June 2026
Japan hasn’t made access to lawyers during interrogations an absolute right despite being a member of The Group of Seven (G7) – an intergovernmental forum of the US and other Western allies that often emphasizes the importance of human rights and the rule of law.
—Yumi Asada, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
But Amazomania becomes an interrogation of the ethics of sending photographers and film crews into an area of isolated Indigenous people without asking their consent or giving them any say in what was filmed or how it was used.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 June 2026
This is the moment for sharper internal interrogation, not broader macro speculation.
—Richard Polgar, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for interrogation
Cite this Entry
“Interrogation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interrogation. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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