query

1 of 2

noun

que·​ry ˈkwir-ē How to pronounce query (audio) ˈkwer- How to pronounce query (audio)
plural queries
1
2
: a question in the mind : doubt
3

query

2 of 2

verb

queried; querying

transitive verb

1
: to ask questions of especially with a desire for authoritative information
2
: to ask questions about especially in order to resolve a doubt
3
: to put as a question
4
: to mark with a query
querier noun
Choose the Right Synonym for query

ask, question, interrogate, query, inquire mean to address a person in order to gain information.

ask implies no more than the putting of a question.

ask for directions

question usually suggests the asking of series of questions.

questioned them about every detail of the trip

interrogate suggests formal or official systematic questioning.

the prosecutor interrogated the witness all day

query implies a desire for authoritative information or confirmation.

queried a librarian about the book

inquire implies a searching for facts or for truth often specifically by asking questions.

began to inquire of friends and teachers what career she should pursue

Examples of query in a Sentence

Noun I have a query about my order. The librarian responded to my query. Verb They conducted a survey in which several hundred people were queried about their dietary habits. it seems odd that someone would want two stoves, so you'd better query that order
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The California State Parks Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving California’s state park system, decided to make its first-ever top 10 list after receiving hundreds of queries over the years about the best parks to visit, Norton told The Tribune. Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 17 May 2025 But this week, the decisions made by chatbot makers became the subject of public debate when Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot suddenly started responding to hundreds of unrelated queries with assertions about violence against white people in South Africa. Emily Baker-White, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Verb
This approach removes the need to separately query multiple data repositories, allowing for a more powerful, comprehensive solution. Louis Landry, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 His team came up with the first designs in 2014 after querying a computer model to find nanoparticles that would produce particular wavelengths of light. IEEE Spectrum, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for query

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of earlier quere, from Latin quaere, imperative of quaerere to ask

First Known Use

Noun

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of query was in 1614

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Query.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/query. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

query

1 of 2 noun
plural queries

query

2 of 2 verb
queried; querying
1
: to ask questions about especially in order to clear up doubts
2
: to put as a question
queried the matter to their teacher
3
: to ask questions of
queried the professor

More from Merriam-Webster on query

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