inquisitive
adjective
in·quis·i·tive
in-ˈkwi-zə-tiv 
1
: given to examination or investigation
2
: inclined to ask questions
especially
: inordinately or improperly curious about the affairs of others
inquisitively
adverb
inquisitiveness
noun
Examples of inquisitive in a Sentence
… but now, with the wanderings of the fleets and their inquisitive occupants producing words from all over, the English vocabulary was enhanced not merely by the usual suspects but by words from India and Turkey, Arabia and Malaya, Japan and the native peoples of North America …
—
Simon Winchester, The Meaning of Everything, 2003
It's partly because humans are naturally inquisitive and exploratory but also, and more significant, because we need the unknown, what historians of religion call "otherness," to lend our lives significance.
—David Nicholson-Lord, Nation, 6 Oct. 1997
Inquisitive eyes reveal the dingo's true nature—it's a hunter, from its cocked ears and powerful jaws to the white tip of its tail.
—Mitch Reardon, Australian Geographic, July–September 1992
an inquisitive woman who tends to everybody's business but her own
Simon Winchester, The Meaning of Everything, 2003
It's partly because humans are naturally inquisitive and exploratory but also, and more significant, because we need the unknown, what historians of religion call "otherness," to lend our lives significance.
—David Nicholson-Lord, Nation, 6 Oct. 1997
Inquisitive eyes reveal the dingo's true nature—it's a hunter, from its cocked ears and powerful jaws to the white tip of its tail.
—Mitch Reardon, Australian Geographic, July–September 1992
an inquisitive woman who tends to everybody's business but her own
Recent Examples on the Web
On July 4, Venus enters the lighthearted and inquisitive sign of Gemini, where the love planet encourages everything from variety and exploration to intellectual stimulation.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 July 2025
According To Experts Where To Set Up A Mouse Trap
Mice are inquisitive and will investigate anything new, says Owen.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 19 June 2025
Decades after her mother’s passing, Seed discovered those recordings and put them at the heart of a documentary, A Photographic Memory, a film that can also be described as gentle, inquisitive, and wise.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 June 2025
Morning had just dawned on Sunday when an inquisitive Iranian girl awakened to war.
—Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for inquisitive
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Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 July 2025
According To Experts Where To Set Up A Mouse Trap
Mice are inquisitive and will investigate anything new, says Owen.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 19 June 2025
Decades after her mother’s passing, Seed discovered those recordings and put them at the heart of a documentary, A Photographic Memory, a film that can also be described as gentle, inquisitive, and wise.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 June 2025
Morning had just dawned on Sunday when an inquisitive Iranian girl awakened to war.
—Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for inquisitive
Cite this Entry
“Inquisitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inquisitive. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inquisitive
adjective
in·quis·i·tive
in-ˈkwiz-ət-iv
1
: tending to inquire or investigate
2
: asking many questions
especially
: too curious about other people's affairs
inquisitively
adverb
inquisitiveness
noun
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