INQUIRY Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

inquiry

noun

in-ˈkwī(-ə)r-ē

Definition of inquiry

as in investigation

a systematic search for the truth or facts about something an inquiry into the origins of the universe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in request

an act or instance of asking for information one student made a hesitant inquiry about the assignment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 inquiry As its title suggests, the movie plays, at times, like an attempt to uncover the lady behind the legend, but its chaotic setting rarely allows for such a detailed inquiry. — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2026 However, those named appealed the indictment and an appeals panel ruled that the inquiry was incomplete. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026 By May, police said forensic examination of those items produced no new lines of inquiry. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026 As part of the inquiry, at least thirty-seven nurses and midwives from the Countess were asked to respond to a series of questions. — Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inquiry

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inquiry

Noun

The ProPublica report, published Tuesday, states that the FBI in 2024 planned to launch an investigation into Collins' dealings with Navatek, a Hawaii defense contractor and donor to her campaign.

— PATRICK WHITTLE, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
Federal authorities probing her death are focusing their investigation in Los Angeles and are looking into whether the actor procured nonprescription pills from an area dealer.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of investigation

Noun

The motif has since become one of the most recognizable features in British gunmaking, appearing on every bespoke gun unless a client requests otherwise.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
My appreciation to attractions officials, creative types, public relations folks and other experts who helped with facts, figures and fanciful requests.

— Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of request

Noun

The report details necropsy and microscopic tissue examinations of two female belugas, 23-year-old Peekachu and 20-year-old Rain, who arrived in Chicago last month from the defunct Marineland park in Canada.

— Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
Even the film’s potentially provocative examination of open marriages falls by the wayside, replaced by an increasingly strained subplot involving Haru contending with Mila’s unexpected arrival.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of examination

Noun

The finding resolves a long-running question about the material’s electrical behavior.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
The Aries Full Moon illuminates your domestic 4th house, bringing a family matter, living situation, or question of emotional security into clearer focus.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of question

Noun

And it's brought to our audience a wide range of compelling stories – from personal narratives to sound-rich explorations of places and events to hard-hitting journalism on issues and topics that are important to students.

— Janet W. Lee, NPR, 20 Sep. 2026
Tudor sees a lot more Western Hemisphere exploration rising from Alaska down to Argentina, and South American governments are trending more business friendly.

— Jordan Blum, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of exploration

Noun

Far fewer teams can quantify how autosuggest modifiers alter user behavior, how star-rating variance suppresses click-through rates or how ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and other AI platforms characterize their brand in response to real user queries.

— Paul M. Wilson, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Joscha Bach of the California Institute for Machine Consciousness, another AGI pioneer, says a truly intelligent system should not need to devour the entire Internet and consume vast amounts of computing power for even the simplest query.

— George Musser, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of query

Noun

A bit Kubrick, a bit BLACK MIRROR but also feels original — a surreal, weird, funny study on (human) nature and storytelling.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
According to the same PwC study, entry-level roles that involve AI skills are seven times more likely to require capabilities such as judgment and leadership, which aren’t traditionally entry-level requirements.

— Haris Pylarinos, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of study

Noun

Even with Oracle founder Larry Ellison the primary backer of his son’s ParaBros dreams, the even older Ellison’s net worth, which has been declining of late, may not be able to handle the strain of months and months of such probes.

— Dominic Patten, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2026
When Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet, sought to expand the probe, Netanyahu moved to fire him.

— Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026