Synonyms of interrogate

interrogate

verb

in-ˈter-ə-ˌgāt 

1

as in to ask

to put a question or questions to

interrogated him about where he'd gone the night before

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ask
• question
• quiz
• inquire (of)
• query
• catechize
• examine
• grill
• cross-examine
• bombard
• besiege
• cross-question
• pump
• survey
• poll

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• respond
• answer
• reply
• observe
• avoid
• rejoin
• comment
• remark
• retort
• duck

2

as in to examine

to put a series of questions to

police interrogated the murder suspect for hours on end

Synonyms & Similar Words

• examine
• question
• catechize
• query
• pump
• quiz
• grill
• cross-examine
• harass
• debrief
• pick the brains of
• pester
• annoy
• give the third degree to
• sweat
• cross-question
• hound
• canvass
• poll

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb interrogate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of interrogate are ask, inquire, query, and question. While all these words mean "to address a person in order to gain information," interrogate suggests formal or official systematic questioning.

the prosecutor interrogated the witness all day

When could ask be used to replace interrogate?

The words ask and interrogate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ask implies no more than the putting of a question.

ask for directions

When is inquire a more appropriate choice than interrogate?

The synonyms inquire and interrogate are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 might query be a better fit than interrogate?

Although the words query and interrogate have much in common, query implies a desire for authoritative information or confirmation.

queried a librarian about the book

When can question be used instead of interrogate?

The words question and interrogate can be used in similar contexts, but question usually suggests the asking of series of questions.

questioned them about every detail of the trip

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of interrogate

As for coming to America in 2026, who would shoulder the exorbitant costs and the travel challenges, let alone the risk of being pulled out of a line at the Atlanta airport, interrogated, and sent back home for joking about penalty shoot-outs? — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

The brothers’ previous films included 2021’s Camp Confidential, about European Jews who found asylum in America after fleeing Nazi Europe, enlisted in the Army, and interrogated Nazi war criminals at a secret camp. — Marisa Fox, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026

Along these routes, the bulldozers piled up mounds to enclose fortified compounds, military outposts and detention facilities where Palestinians were interrogated and tortured. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

Writer-director Ari Aster interrogates not just the social and political turmoil of COVID-19, but also the way social media can exacerbate that unraveling of collective neuroses. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026