Definition of querynext

query

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb query contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of query are ask, inquire, interrogate, and question. While all these words mean "to address a person in order to gain information," query implies a desire for authoritative information or confirmation.

queried a librarian about the book

When might ask be a better fit than query?

In some situations, the words ask and query are roughly equivalent. However, ask implies no more than the putting of a question.

ask for directions

When can inquire be used instead of query?

While in some cases nearly identical to query, 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

In what contexts can interrogate take the place of query?

The synonyms interrogate and query are sometimes interchangeable, but interrogate suggests formal or official systematic questioning.

the prosecutor interrogated the witness all day

Where would question be a reasonable alternative to query?

The words question and query are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, question usually suggests the asking of series of questions.

questioned them about every detail of the trip

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 query
Noun
The Monitor submitted 200 queries across four popular English-language chatbots owned by Chinese companies – DeepSeek, Kimi, Qwen, and GLM – and compared the results with those provided by Claude, an American chatbot. — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2026 As tales of touring and recording with Diddy in other episodes fail to lead to a query about what the Bad Boy founder has been up to since 2024, the doc feels time-stamped and a few considerably eventful years old for the people who come up. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
Many in the audience, however, will query the point of it all. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 The Elk Grove Police Department is reviewing an audit showing outside law enforcement agencies queried the city’s license plate data more than 8 million times. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for query
Recent Examples of Synonyms for query
Noun
  • Adell hit a no-doubt 440-foot shot into the left-center fountains off Royals starter Daniel Lynch IV, effectively knocking Lynch from the game.
    — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026
  • His only run came off a no-doubt solo homer from Christian Walker that gave the Astros a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
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
Verb
  • The family initially claimed Ellis acted in self-defense after Matthew entered the home with a knife, but investigators soon questioned that account.
    — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The article went viral, garnering pushback from the LGBT community over how it was covered and more attention to the LGBT bar itself from conservative pundits, who questioned why the bar still had a mask mandate.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • As Arkansas families navigate a new education landscape, asking the right questions can help ensure that choice leads not just to change, but to growth, stability, and opportunity for the students who matter most.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Then Teresa gets brought up onstage by the mentalist, who asks her to think of someone meaningful in her life from before the cameras, who nobody in the room would know the name of.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Brittin has spent his early months in the job interrogating whether the broadcaster’s output is properly meeting audience needs and is said to be clear-eyed about shifting resources away from services that are dwindling in influence.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • That combination can get past the skepticism many of us have learned to apply to obviously shady emails and suspicious websites.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Some outsiders were even more forthright with their skepticism.
    — Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The Labor Department referred inquiries to the Justice Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    — Moriah Balingit, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Crumbl Cookie did not respond to an inquiry from The Sacramento Bee about its closure.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • After the Supreme Court ruling outlawing affirmative action, civil rights groups filed a federal complaint challenging Harvard’s legacy and donor preferences.
    — Jayson Weingarten, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
  • In forensic parlance, a diagnosis of exclusion is one reached by ruling out other plausible causes; drowning can be challenging to prove, because often there’s no telltale sign that one occurred.
    — Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Query.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/query. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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