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

And 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.

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

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

interrogational

in-ˌter-ə-ˈgā-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Examples of interrogation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Dani provides the voiceover, filled with strained metaphors about earthquakes and sermons on the importance of summer, but the pretense that the dialogue is taken from his interrogation is quickly abandoned. — Alison Herman, Variety, 19 June 2026

According to Ghaemi, the IRGC’s intelligence agency has consolidated control over interrogations, detention centers, judges, and prosecutors, and the proof is in the lack of acquittals. — Laura Secor, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026

Coming from Spielberg, these scenes come across as a strange and mysterious form of self-interrogation. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 16 June 2026

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

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing interrogation

• interrogation point

Rhymes for interrogation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration