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query

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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 Justice Department and Pirro’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital press queries. Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2025 Just one week ago, xAI’s chatbot Grok pushed antisemitic tropes in its responses to some users’ queries. Jade Walker, CNN Money, 16 July 2025
Verb
Players queried about the voting process say not everyone considers their ballot the same way, with equal gravity or even participates. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 July 2025 The messages show that after initial briefings on the afternoon of Thursday, July 3, about the potential of heavy rains to come, emergency managers from some counties in the region were posting on the system, querying forecasters about what to expect. Curt Devine, CNN Money, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for query
Recent Examples of Synonyms for query
Noun
  • There is always going to be debate about who is the sport’s GOAT, but Hagen is always in the discussion, and with a doubt, one of the very, very best and highest profile golfers to ever live.
    Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
  • Eleven are ready to convict—until one juror (Henry Fonda, also the film’s producer) raises quiet, persistent doubts.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 29 July 2025
Noun
  • Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister did not respond to requests for comment.
    Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • Challenge manufacturing did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
    Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • The song captures Rumi’s internal struggle and her growing uncertainty about the road ahead, marking a shift in her journey from confident leader to someone questioning the cost of it all.
    Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 14 July 2025
  • Meanwhile, some comments under the original video questioned if the Pentagon had asked Metallica for permission to use the song, with many questioning whether the band would have agreed to do so.
    Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • The department published a serious note to its Facebook page early Monday after the Free Press asked about it.
    Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 14 July 2025
  • Fastow started by going door to door to dozens of insurance brokers in San Francisco and asking them about their pain points and most time consuming tasks.
    Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • The baby boy was found dead in a garbage truck in Greenwich in 1986, and Phillips was initially a person of interest but never arrested or interrogated.
    Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 23 July 2025
  • After reading the questionnaires, the judge interrogated us.
    Denise Amos, Mercury News, 17 July 2025
Noun
  • His skepticism of Elevidys, in particular, is both long-standing and well-founded.
    Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 31 July 2025
  • Dalio’s warning about bonds goes hand-in-hand with his skepticism about how the government is handling its debt, said Stephan Shipe, a finance professor at Wake Forest University and founder of financial advisory firm Scholar Financial Advising.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 30 July 2025
Noun
  • This process only works if everyone is part of the inquiry.
    Jerry Colonna, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Ultimately, this line of inquiry seems like a dead end.
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 July 2025
Verb
  • There are numerous other active lawsuits challenging Trump’s tariffs, but the V.O.S. case is the furthest one along and its outcome could dictate how other cases fare.
    Kevin Breuninger,Dan Mangan, CNBC, 31 July 2025
  • Maintaining a strong sense of connection to the company culture and fostering collaboration can be challenging when working remotely or on the move.
    CJ Eason, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Query.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/query. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

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