question 1 of 2

1
as in problem
an interrogative expression often used to test knowledge because I have missed so many classes, I had a hard time answering every question on today's surprise quiz

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in request
an act or instance of asking for information after reading the brief statement to the reporters, the lawyer ended the press conference by saying, "No more questions, please" the dozens of questions researched by the reference librarians

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4

question

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to challenge
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of the teenager openly questioned the authority of the town's police force to impose a curfew on residents under the age of 18

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to doubt
to have no trust or confidence in it was apparent that voters were questioning the President's ability to manage the economy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in to ask
to put a question or questions to the press should be allowed to question public officials about any matter of general interest

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
as in to examine
to put a series of questions to the police questioned the suspect before deciding that there was insufficient evidence to hold him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb question contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of question are ask, inquire, interrogate, and query. While all these words mean "to address a person in order to gain information," question usually suggests the asking of series of questions.

questioned them about every detail of the trip

When can ask be used instead of question?

Although the words ask and question have much in common, ask implies no more than the putting of a question.

ask for directions

In what contexts can inquire take the place of question?

While in some cases nearly identical to question, 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 could interrogate be used to replace question?

The meanings of interrogate and question largely overlap; however, interrogate suggests formal or official systematic questioning.

the prosecutor interrogated the witness all day

When would query be a good substitute for question?

In some situations, the words query and question are roughly equivalent. However, query implies a desire for authoritative information or confirmation.

queried a librarian about the book

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 question
Noun
Nevertheless, expect questions about consumer spending, delinquency rates, and credit-loss provisions to feature prominently in management’s call with investors. Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2025 That’s the burning question the Boston rep is now facing, probably daily. Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
When questioned about the third-party investigation, Oakley Assistant City Manager Danielle Navarro said staff could not comment on the matter. Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025 No one questions the investment, no one questions the way Mayer went to the [Latin] Grammys. Ingrid Fajardo, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for question
Recent Examples of Synonyms for question
Noun
  • On Monday, of course, the problem wasn’t Durbin getting caught stealing.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Cascale’s Joël Mertens further outlined the problem.
    Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Allied officials did not respond to an interview request.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
  • San Bernardino County Sheriff Haro’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    Madeline Morrison, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Hogsett promoted Andrews to director of DMD over the objections of the city's HR director.
    Tony Cook, IndyStar, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Attorneys for Lyle and the family filed a formal objection to the further release of audio, but the parole board denied the request, explaining the recordings were public records.
    Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Back in August, OpenAI published an update to ChatGPT with stronger controls on the bot’s responses to certain conversational topics amid mounting concern that some users are building harmful emotional attachments to chatbots.
    Jack Guy, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Return expectations are a hot topic for shoppers.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The group said the AI badge will challenge scouts to examine the effects of AI on daily life, learn about the impacts of deepfakes, and work on a project that either incorporates AI or explains the technology in a way other scouts will understand.
    Gordon Ebanks, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
  • This idea weaves through the novel as Sadie, the protagonist, becomes increasingly drawn to Bruno’s worldview, challenging her sense of self and mission.
    Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Though their claims were the basis of the Amityville Horror franchise, the validity of the Lutzs' story has been heavily debated over the years.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The commissioners debated this issue as well.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Former agency employees doubted the administration’s claim that some dismissals were caused by coding errors.
    Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
  • They’ve been doubted every year.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Murray, in turn, was asked to be a two-way player in ways that were not necessarily originally expected for the young prospect with a deft shooting touch.
    David Aldridge, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Get people to ask hard questions about everything and not to trust anything on its face.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Question.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/question. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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