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
• canvas
• 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

Instead of letting our legs carry us aimlessly down the road with our minds interrogating every step, our thumbs pose too simple a question to which our smartphones are pleased to give us too simple an answer. —Paul Greenberg, Time, 20 Sep. 2025

But Fastvold, the partner and creative collaborator of The Brutalist director Brady Corbet—she co-wrote both that film and Corbet’s previous movie, Vox Lux—also interrogates the idea of spirituality as a lifeline. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2025

As demographic changes redefine the workforce, leaders must reorient themselves to interrogate their own mindsets, assumptions and lived experiences in order to lead and steward a workforce that looks, thinks and believes differently than the one they may have been trained to manage. —Heather V. MacArthur, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

Eddie, while confiding in his wife, interrogates his past behavior. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2025