as in skeptical
inclined to doubt or question claims
a naturally questioning person, she demands rock-solid proof before she believes anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in inquiry
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in challenging
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pondering
to give serious and careful thought to
question your motives before you file the lawsuit: do you really care about the trees, or are you just trying to harass the neighbors?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in doubting
to have no trust or confidence in
it was apparent that voters were questioning the President's ability to manage the economy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in asking
to put a question or questions to
the press should be allowed to question public officials about any matter of general interest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in interrogating
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of questioning
R.j. Rico, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
While some conservative justices appeared more open to revisiting the scope of the 14th Amendment, the questioning overall suggested the court may be reluctant to embrace the sweeping reinterpretation sought by the administration.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026
Faced with rising tuition, stubborn student debt, and a cooling job market, many are questioning whether a four-year degree is worth it at all.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for questioning
Noun
Woods, who was hiccupping during questioning, continuously moved his head during one of the sobriety tests, and deputies had to tell him several times to keep his head straight, according to an arrest report.
—R.j. Rico, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
While some conservative justices appeared more open to revisiting the scope of the 14th Amendment, the questioning overall suggested the court may be reluctant to embrace the sweeping reinterpretation sought by the administration.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
In August 2024, the Escondido City Council passed a resolution questioning the economic benefits and highlighting the potential safety risks of battery facilities located in or adjacent to Escondido.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026
Faced with rising tuition, stubborn student debt, and a cooling job market, many are questioning whether a four-year degree is worth it at all.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for questioning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for questioning
Adjective
-
Scheiber is skeptical of forecasts projecting mass white-collar displacement in 18 months.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Putin announced a temporary Easter ceasefire, but Ukraine remains skeptical after previous attempts to broker lasting truces have repeatedly failed with both sides trading accusations.—
Volodymyr Yurchuk,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In response to a request for comment, the White House referred NBC News to the Office of Management and Budget, which did not respond to the inquiry.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
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Each move is supported by a dedicated specialist who guides the customer from initial inquiry through move day completion, ensuring clarity at every stage.—
NIa Bowers,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The very player challenging the legitimacy of their playoff series win on a recent podcast stream with his teammate Jordan Walsh.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Proof of the precise location of the plane during childbirth midair and the moment the baby is born can be challenging.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And maybe one of those records was… The bard of New England dares to get meaningful on this two-part song, which begins by pondering the mysteries of time and ends with a singalong ode to seasonal renewal.—
Brett Milano,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Distracted ends with Bruner fretting over money and pondering options.—
Will Hermes,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That’s despite a majority of Americans doubting his handling of trade policy, according to new Pew Research Center data.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
There’s people out here really doubting us.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Defense attorneys, who said Horner has autism spectrum disorder and various mental illnesses, are asking jurors to sentence Horner to life in prison without parole.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Long Beach Aquarium officials are asking the public to help raise funding for Meatloaf, a 200-pound sea turtle that was rescued from the San Gabriel River in January.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Or gents or anyone else, though the Masters isn’t exactly a hotbed of bold, gender-interrogating fashion decisions.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
6 Apr. 2026
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The board will spend the next few months interrogating submissions from all three cities and speaking to their champions in more detail.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But the coroner did not screen Harold's blood for poisons at the time because his death was not suspicious.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Installing strong antivirus software on your devices can also help block malicious links, detect suspicious downloads and warn you about dangerous websites.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Questioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/questioning. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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