1
as in to interrogate
to put a question or questions to my coworkers asked me all about my trip to Machu Picchu

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to charge
to set or receive as a price they are only asking $300 for that antique grandfather clock

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to invite
to request the presence or participation of a fixture on the party circuit, that couple is always asking people over for dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb ask contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of ask are inquire, interrogate, query, and question. While all these words mean "to address a person in order to gain information," ask implies no more than the putting of a question.

ask for directions

In what contexts can inquire take the place of ask?

The words inquire and ask are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

When would interrogate be a good substitute for ask?

The synonyms interrogate and ask are sometimes interchangeable, but interrogate suggests formal or official systematic questioning.

the prosecutor interrogated the witness all day

When might query be a better fit than ask?

The words query and ask can be used in similar contexts, but query implies a desire for authoritative information or confirmation.

queried a librarian about the book

When is question a more appropriate choice than ask?

Although the words question and ask have much in common, question usually suggests the asking of series of questions.

questioned them about every detail of the trip

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ask The discussions are at an early stage and may not lead to an offer, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. Sara Braun, Fortune, 21 June 2025 Our characters all ask if maybe they all got lost on the way. Tricia Despres, People.com, 21 June 2025 But some Colombians have also asked the president to tone down his rhetoric against opposition leaders. Manuel Rueda, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin asked. Greg Wehner , Bill Melugin, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ask
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ask
Verb
  • The exercise of writing is to think about your own thinking, to put ideas into form and interrogate them.
    Lindsey Witmer Collins, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • During his imprisonment, security agents beat and bit him, interrogated him with a bag over his head and shocked him with electricity, according to media reports.
    Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • However, Antetokounmpo has not formally requested a trade, and the Nets lack a contending roster.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025
  • Registration is requested for all programs; call 386-668-3840 or email lperez@volusia.org to sign up.
    Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Federal prosecutors charged Boelter, 57, with murder and stalking, which could result in a death sentence if convicted.
    Glen Luke Flanagan, Fortune, 17 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, fringe doctors can charge patients who have cancer and other diseases thousands of dollars to prescribe such treatments.
    Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • In a dedicated space where lighting went from cool to warm, individuals were invited to start breathwork, guided by the tempo of lighting: a blueish resting rate to a rosy pink as the exercise progressed, made possible by a thermal camera that tracked changes in breath rate.
    Clara Ludmir, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
  • Low-risk contraband becomes a foothold for violent enterprise, just as one unfixed broken window once invited squatters, then burglars, then gangs.
    Edgar Domenech, Sun Sentinel, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Skeptics will point to his physical issues and question his fit outside the Warriors’ unique system.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 21 June 2025
  • But an analysis of new data from Hubble and the European Space Agency’s Gaia Space Telescope has caused researchers to question that time frame.
    Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • Trump previously demanded allies double their spending goals to 4% of GDP in 2018.
    Nino Paoli, Fortune, 25 June 2025
  • Instead of debating issues, candidates would be demanding that those behind them in the polls drop out or risk playing spoiler.
    Andrew Yang, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Carlson quizzed Cruz about Iran’s population, and the senator was unsure of the answer.
    Jillian Frankel, People.com, 18 June 2025
  • The new poll, conducted by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, quizzed 1,350 likely Democratic primary election voters between June 9 and June 12.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ask.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ask. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

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