questioning 1 of 3

Definition of questioningnext

questioning

2 of 3

noun

questioning

3 of 3

verb

present participle of question
1
2
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
5

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 questioning
Noun
Under questioning, Patel denied that the changes reflected a lowering of employment standards and insisted they were designed to prevent victims who'd been forced to engage in that conduct from being automatically disqualified. — Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026 Under questioning, Patel denied that the changes reflected a lowering of employment standards and insisted they were designed to prevent victims who’d been forced to engage in that conduct from being automatically disqualified. — Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
In a highly unusual move, Buckingham Palace (who initially declined to comment on the book), issued a detailed statement questioning the accuracy of the claims. — Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair, 18 Sep. 2026 However, Hugh Lewis, a space debris expert and professor of astronautics at the University of Birmingham, is questioning the estimates. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for questioning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for questioning
Adjective
  • Ellison, for his part, promised to release a minimum of 30 films per year theatrically, though many in the industry remain skeptical about how long the company can sustain that level of production.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Some seemed skeptical as the men performed the rainmaking ritual.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 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
  • Ducks players are confident the team can build upon last season’s promise and work toward challenging for a Stanley Cup title.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • In the stands, fans murmured beneath their breath, wondering what new math the Kiffin’s successor could be pondering.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
  • For those pondering upgrades, Apple has laid a strong foundation with its hardware for some ambitious features down the road.
    — Victoria Song, The Verge, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • This quest to believe in love again, while doubting whether it can be found is akin to a spiritual awakening.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Brizé weaves between these absurd moments and two slow-simmering crises that cause Carla to begin doubting her diehard commitment to work.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Leo July 23 – August 22 Your world may be asking you to stretch.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The opportunities are in docs for now, but Sloss told Deadline that members are already asking about potential investment in non-doc projects.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • For Frankfurt, as for Murdoch, the work of being human involves interrogating the motives and assumptions that guide our actions, asking whether our desires are truly desirable.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Anyone who receives a suspicious call should hang up and report the activity to local law enforcement, police said.
    — Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Other issues Allen's attorneys are expected to argue before the appeals court are inconsistencies in how witnesses described the suspicious man near the trail, pointing to a sketch of a potential suspect that didn't look like Allen.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster