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
Lopez said the interrogation of unaccompanied children seems to have been particularly focused on children from Guatemala and Honduras.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
Police spoke to several witnesses, including Young, who denied any knowledge of the murder during her first three interrogations, Mayer said.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2025
None of this instability emerges until late in the interrogation, which is also late in the novella.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
Ideological skirmishes over the motives and obligations of Carpenter’s music include both sincere interrogation of its feminism and smirking counteractive reprisals to that scrutiny.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for interrogation
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Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
Police spoke to several witnesses, including Young, who denied any knowledge of the murder during her first three interrogations, Mayer said.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2025
None of this instability emerges until late in the interrogation, which is also late in the novella.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
Ideological skirmishes over the motives and obligations of Carpenter’s music include both sincere interrogation of its feminism and smirking counteractive reprisals to that scrutiny.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Sep. 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 13 Sep. 2025.
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