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 man charged in the case did not respond to AP queries sent via social media. CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 It can then be used for contextual queries when the user asks the AI a question. Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
When queried about the reasons for her breakout, Williams kept it simple. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026 Lawmakers previously queried Airbnb and Cursor about their use of Chinese AI models. J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for query
Recent Examples of Synonyms for query
Noun
  • Any doubts over whether that deal would be concluded would have been banished as soon as Riad was taken off.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • In the past, Cofnas has expressed doubts about the intellectual abilities of Blacks in comparison to whites.
    Roger J. Kreuz, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Hansen’s attorney, who is with the Post-Conviction Justice Project at University of Southern California Gould School of Law, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Securing passage for Iraqi tankers was also one of Baghdad’s main requests during Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s visit to Iraq, according to IRNA, with Iraq having been hard hit by the turmoil in the waterway.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Critics of the strikes have questioned the overall legality as well as their effectiveness.
    CBS News, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Economists question whether the credit would attract new work or mostly subsidize projects that would have stayed in California anyway.
    Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • When asked if Tebow wanted to discuss Sunday’s experience, a member of his PR team said the 39-year-old native of the Jacksonville area native could not fit the request into his schedule.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The sheriff’s office later declined to say why that determination was made, when the remains were found or who found them when asked by CNN.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Jacobsen, after interrogating scientific and security experts around the world, has imagined an accident at a Siberian lab that launches a runaway outbreak.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Nearly 1,600 agencies in 32 states now have agreements to participate in ICE’s task force model, in which trained local officers can interrogate, arrest and charge people suspected of being in the country illegally, according to ICE data.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Despite widespread skepticism and immense hurdles in securing funding, programming, and advertisers, Rasmussen launched ESPN in 1979.
    Nicole Kraft, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Over the last two to three years, political leaders have further added to that skepticism by questioning the measles vaccine and attempting to change recommendations around it.
    Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Anne Arundel County Public Schools previously responded to inquiries about the joint statement from the DOJ and Education Department.
    Adam Thompson, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • By Tuesday afternoon, more than 107,000 people had signed an open letter calling on the government to commission a public inquiry into media coverage of Arday.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Raman claims that politics were at play, casting her removal as a hit job for her decision to challenge Bass.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The merger remains on hold, possibly until June, while a federal judge considers a lawsuit from a coalition of state attorneys general challenging the deal over antitrust grounds.
    Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Query.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/query. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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