ASKING Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

asking

verb

present participle of ask

as in interrogating

to put a question or questions to my coworkers asked me all about my trip to Machu Picchu

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in requesting

to make a request of ask the salesclerk for assistance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in charging

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in inviting

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

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 asking Courts can also review objective legal questions, such as whether the evidence was sufficient — as Clancy’s lawyer is now asking the judge to do. — Monu Bedi, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026 New Jersey’s attorney general petitioned the Supreme Court, asking the justices to step in. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2026 Ahead of King Harald’s funeral this week, some Norwegians are asking why women must cover their faces while men can grieve openly. — Filippo Iarocci, Vanity Fair, 19 Sep. 2026 The messages go from just asking to here’s-who-we-work-with to let’s-get-on-the-phone to a URL link that allows artists to evaluate their own catalog’s worth. — Michaelangelo Matos, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2026 The Center is asking the public to steer clear of the mammal. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2026 Garg is asking shareholders to remove five of Better’s eight directors, including Lewis and board chairman Talwar. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026 The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to call the GBI Office of Special Investigations at (404) 239-2106 or the agency's tip line 1-800-597-8477. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026 But asking whether the problem is useful is the wrong question, Verhoeff argues. — Emma R. Hasson, Scientific American, 5 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for asking

Verb

The previous investigations were stalled because Haitian judges kept resigning from the case, fearing for their lives, and gangs seized control of the downtown Port-au-Prince courthouse where the judges were interrogating suspects.

— EVENS SANON, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
For Frankfurt, as for Murdoch, the work of being human involves interrogating the motives and assumptions that guide our actions, asking whether our desires are truly desirable.

— Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of interrogating

Verb

The Mandarin Lounge, located just steps from the main lobby, is a warm and inviting place to relax between outings, with a cozy fireplace and afternoon tea on offer seasonally too.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026
In the evening, Adirondack chairs around the firepit offer an inviting perch for watching the sun dip behind the Green Mountains.

— Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of inviting

Verb

And Hill sent board members a 14-page memorandum with more than 200 pages of exhibits, alleging the board had tried to extort her and questioning ties between board members and CMS contractors.

— Josh Bergeron, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026
But Rubin’s song selection and line of questioning never toss the artist a curious misfire or label fiasco to unpack.

— Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of questioning

Verb

But murder and extortion rates have proved stubborn, and many are now demanding more-radical methods.

— Will Freeman, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026
Balochistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency in southwestern Pakistan with an array of separatist groups, including the BLA, demanding independence from Pakistan’s central government in Islamabad.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of demanding

Verb

Indeed, the movie opens with Ed quizzing an older Greek man he’s befriended on the Belgian designer Ann Demeulemeester, before berating him for confusing his Bottega Veneta loafers for Sebago.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Prosecutors spent the start of George’s testimony quizzing him on the organizational structure of the sheriff’s office, as well as how internal affairs investigations play out.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026