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inquisition

noun

ˌin-kwə-ˈzi-shən How to pronounce inquisition (audio)
Definition of inquisitionnext
as in investigation
a systematic search for the truth or facts about something there's no need to conduct an inquisition about so trivial a matter

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 inquisition Tuttle’s fearless inquisition won’t insult your intelligence, ask your mercy or hogtie your feelings. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026 In any event, Levinson still believes that this inquisition undermined the larger point being made about institutional abuse. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 25 Apr. 2026 Conservative influencers are pushing for a return to the dark days of 1950s inquisitions. — Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026 With that and a few more inquisitions from Farley, Webster opened up about his life story, starting with living in his van for two years. — Jamie L. Lareau, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inquisition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inquisition
  1. investigation
  2. inquiry
  3. examination
  4. exploration
  5. study
  6. probe
  7. probing
Noun
  • Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in February that his country would open an investigation that included a focus on possible links between Epstein and Russian intelligence.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The reviews suggest the film depicts the investigations as having crossed a line, becoming exploitation in which the public good was secondary to ratings.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of investigation
Noun
  • Each case becomes a moral inquiry into memory, guilt and dignity, while Porto itself emerges as a character.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Each room comes with butler service, and activity inquiries and changes were seamless with the knowledgeable front desk team.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of inquiry
Noun
  • Audiences expecting an easy villain and a clear case of right and wrong will be surprised as the narrative unfolds with an examination of community, complicity and corruption within institutions of power.
    — Jenelle Riley, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Brown was ruled out for the remainder of the game after heading to the locker room for further examination.
    — Chad Graff, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of examination
Noun
  • Jacir signed on as executive producer after connecting with the film’s exploration of memory and resistance.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026
  • These days, Artemis isn't the only extra demand on DSN; other space agencies also use the network for their own spacecraft, to a much greater degree than 50 years ago as space exploration has matured.
    — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of exploration
Noun
  • The incidence of colorectal cancer in particular has increased among younger people in recent years, other studies have found.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Extra film study, longer hours in the weight room, more questions asked in meetings, coming to practice hoping to get better at one thing each day entering his final year — the way the Iowa greats before him did it.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of study
Noun
  • When the scanning tip encounters a rough surface, the mechanical contact between the probe and the sample changes.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • For example, if one probe hits a subject in the thigh and the other probe hits a thick bubble jacket, there’s a good chance the officer won’t have good connectivity, Keller said.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of probe
Noun
  • There was Wall Street Journal reporter Josh Dawsey, accepting an award for his relentless probing of the White House.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 25 July 2026
  • But neither of them seemed eager to undergo much emotional probing.
    — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
Definition of probing

Browse Nearby Words

inquiry
inquisition
inquisitional
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Cite this Entry

“Inquisition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inquisition. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on inquisition

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about inquisition

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