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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of questioning
Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
An attorney for the team previously said the questioning would center on comments Reinsdorf made to the media in the days after the shooting, as well as the team’s decision to not call off the rest of the game after the shooting occurred, though a postgame concert with Vanilla Ice was called off.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
The decision was good news for Krista Erbe, a member of the 2871 Community Coalition who has been at the forefront of residents questioning the development.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for questioning
Noun
These encounters came at a time of broader questioning across the arts and sciences.
—Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
An attorney for the team previously said the questioning would center on comments Reinsdorf made to the media in the days after the shooting, as well as the team’s decision to not call off the rest of the game after the shooting occurred, though a postgame concert with Vanilla Ice was called off.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
At the time of his death, he was also being sought for questioning as a witness in a homicide, sources said.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
The decision was good news for Krista Erbe, a member of the 2871 Community Coalition who has been at the forefront of residents questioning the development.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for questioning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for questioning
Adjective
-
Asselin is skeptical of the state's job claims, since automation and technology changes come fast.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Oil prices climbed as investors grew skeptical of efforts to end the war.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
He was convicted in 2019 of seven felonies, including obstructing a congressional inquiry, lying to investigators under oath and attempting to block witness testimony.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
This inquiry into police corruption stems from a dramatic news conference last year by a provincial police officer, who accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and senior police officers of having links with organized crime.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
One of them was cleared for competition after approval last week, while the other — who has repeatedly identified herself as a cisgender woman — is challenging the World Boxing testing requirement in court.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Gorgeously shot, a tender portrait of community in northern Maine, finding metaphor in natural imagery while challenging preconceptions about gender and class.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But news is expected soon on the Hall of Fame KU coach, who is pondering his future after having heart problems the past few years.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
-
As new signs of a rift emerge in Western alliances, Putin and his generals are pondering plans for the spring and summer campaign across more than the 1,200-kilometer (about 750-mile) front line.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And nobody in the locker room is doubting their chances at coming out on top Saturday.—
Frank Rajkowski,
Twin Cities,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Dreaming, being bold and being ambitious are part of our job — just like doubting.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Sacramento Police Department identified Hernandez as the suspect in the deadly stabbing and released his photo and description in December 2017, asking the public to help find him.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
After asking him to model courage, and to be the container of everyone’s hope—and after so many of Rozos’s peers loudly cheered him on—NYU denied Rozos their diploma.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Grossman succeeds in interrogating the very gaze his film is built upon, yet never fully escapes it, leaving the documentary caught between critique and complicity.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Banks are required by law to report suspicious activity in customer accounts to federal authorities in order to flag potential criminal activity, such as money laundering or fraud.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The idea was that a couple with a kid in tow wouldn’t look too suspicious taking a walk near a police station or an Army base.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Questioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/questioning. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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