interrogatory

noun in·ter·rog·a·to·ry \ ˌin-tə-ˈrä-gə-ˌtȯr-ē \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Definition of interrogatory

plural interrogatories

: a formal question or inquiry; especially : a written question required to be answered under direction of a court

Recent Examples of interrogatory from the Web

If strong enough to survive those first interrogatories, they will be interviewed by an asylum officer who will run a rough interview that emphasizes preventing fraud and often mistakenly determines that a person shouldn't receive asylum.

— luis mancheno, CBS News, "Analysis: How the asylum process works, and how it needs to change," 8 June 2018
Blomquist, represented by Milwaukee attorney Robert A. Levine, also hit the plaintiffs with a flood of interrogatories and requests for documents.

— bruce vielmetti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Mequon executive counters sex-tape privacy suit with his own claim of secret recordings," 29 May 2018
The city refused to answer any interrogatories where certain records were not preserved.

— todd lighty, chicagotribune.com, "In victory for Tribune, judge rules that Emanuel broke law in withholding emails," 15 May 2018
Getting Trump’s direct testimony for a narrower set of interrogatories is Mueller’s way of tying up loose ends.

— cristian farias, Daily Intelligencer, "The Supreme Court Will Make Trump Talk to Mueller If It Has To," 3 May 2018
Verizon's responses Verizon denied all of the allegations in a lengthy response to the complaint in September 2016 and further responses to interrogatories from Nguyen in April of this year.

— jon brodkin, Ars Technica, "FCC seemingly forgot about a net neutrality complaint filed against Verizon," 10 Aug. 2017
Murray’s attorneys have provided Heckard’s lawyers with a first set of interrogatories — formal, written questions — and requested various records about Heckard’s drug use, criminal past and mental-health counseling as part of the discovery process.

— lewis kamb, The Seattle Times, "Mayor Ed Murray’s lawyers want accuser questioned first in sex-abuse lawsuit," 28 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'interrogatory.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of interrogatory

1515

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

interrogatory

adjective

Definition of interrogatory

: interrogative

See interrogatory defined for kids

Recent Examples of interrogatory from the Web

But Thornton had also figured out that his character’s power came not from fiercely interrogatory tactics but from apparent empathy and even his warm heart.

— chris jones, chicagotribune.com, "Our top 10 stage performances of 2017," 21 Dec. 2017

First Known Use of interrogatory

1576

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Law Dictionary

interrogatory

noun in·ter·rog·a·to·ry \ ˌin-tə-ˈrä-gə-ˌtōr-ē \

legal Definition of interrogatory

plural interrogatories

: a written question required by law to be answered under the direction of a court; especially : a written question directed by one party to another regarding information that is within the scope of discovery — see also general verdict and special verdict at verdict, special interrogatory

Note: Interrogatories are widely used as a discovery device in civil procedure and also have limited use in criminal proceedings. An interrogatory may be objected to and does not have to be answered if the court determines that it is excessive or burdensome. An interrogatory may also be submitted by a judge to a jury when the court asks for a general verdict and wants to know the basis of the decision, or when the court requires the jury to return a special verdict.