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)
The 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
The most penetrating and polarizing sign in the zodiac, Mercury in Scorpio kicks off an era of interrogation, suspicion and revelations that can’t be ignored.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
One of the officers questioning Gein assaulted him during the interrogation, making his initial confessions inadmissible in court.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
In the middle of the police interrogation, Knox’s mother called, but the police took the phone away.
—Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
In its original incarnation, the group stood in opposition to the House Un-American Activities Committee’s Joseph McCarthy-era interrogations of Hollywood figures suspected of communist sympathies.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for interrogation
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Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
One of the officers questioning Gein assaulted him during the interrogation, making his initial confessions inadmissible in court.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
In the middle of the police interrogation, Knox’s mother called, but the police took the phone away.
—Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
In its original incarnation, the group stood in opposition to the House Un-American Activities Committee’s Joseph McCarthy-era interrogations of Hollywood figures suspected of communist sympathies.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for interrogation
Cite this Entry
“Interrogation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interrogation. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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