Synonyms of questioning

questioning 1 of 3

adjective

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

• skeptical
• suspicious
• cautious
• doubting
• careful
• incredulous
• disbelieving
• wary
• unbelieving
• show-me
• negativistic
• distrustful
• suspecting
• mistrustful
• paranoid
• cynical
• curious
• unsure
• paranoidal
• puzzled
• quizzical
• watchful
• critical
• experienced
• inquisitive
• leery
• guarded
• uncertain
• knowing
• inquiring
• unconvinced
• hesitant
• worldly
• leary
• nosey
• sophisticated
• undetermined
• undecided
• nosy
• gun-shy
• worldly-wise
• unsettled
• snoopy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• trusting
• unquestioning
• uncritical
• certain
• credulous
• positive
• sure
• naive
• gullible
• trustful
• green
• simple
• confident
• naïve
• innocent
• unknowing
• unsophisticated
• ingenuous
• simpleminded
• wide-eyed
• unworldly
• inexperienced
• childlike
• raw
• idealistic
• callow
• impractical
• gullable
• careless
• heedless
• deceived
• unsuspecting
• unsuspicious
• unwary
• duped
• tricked
• beguiled
• gulled

questioning

2 of 3

noun

as in inquiry

Synonyms & Similar Words

• inquiry
• interrogation
• prying
• concern
• wonderment
• attentiveness
• interest
• interference
• inquisitiveness
• regard
• intrusiveness
• curiosity
• officiousness
• obtrusiveness
• meddlesomeness
• curiousness
• eavesdropping
• nosiness
• rubbernecking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• disregard
• indifference
• incuriosity
• incuriousness
• unconcern
• apathy
• disinterestedness

questioning

3 of 3

verb

present participle of question

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

• challenging
• disputing
• doubting
• contesting
• protesting
• impeaching
• querying
• calling into question
• opposing
• calling in question
• fighting
• oppugning
• resisting
• mistrusting
• combatting
• kicking (about)
• combating
• objecting (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• believing
• accepting
• embracing
• supporting
• defending
• swallowing
• promoting
• backing
• advocating
• enduring
• tolerating
• abiding
• championing
• stomaching

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

• pondering
• debating
• considering
• contemplating
• studying
• entertaining
• weighing
• exploring
• eying
• reviewing
• analyzing
• eyeing
• deliberating
• ruminating
• cogitating
• thinking (about or over)
• looking at
• meditating
• revolving
• mulling (over)
• wrestling (with)
• chewing on
• chewing over
• turning
• reasoning
• poring (over)
• perpending
• kicking around
• digesting
• reflecting (on or upon)
• believing
• reminiscing
• beating one's brains out (about)
• cudgeling one's brains (about)
• concluding
• musing (upon)
• opining
• second-guessing
• speculating (about)
• absorbing
• dwelling (on or upon)
• fixating (on or upon)
• brooding (about or over)
• obsessing (about or over)
• conceiving
• fretting (about or over)
• assimilating
• drinking (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignoring
• disregarding
• overlooking
• rejecting
• dismissing
• slighting
• pooh-poohing
• poohing

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

• doubting
• suspecting
• distrusting
• mistrusting
• misdoubting
• discounting
• disbelieving
• discrediting
• negating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• trusting
• depending (on or upon)
• relying (on or upon)
• counting (on or upon)
• banking (on or upon)

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

• asking
• interrogating
• quizzing
• inquiring (of)
• querying
• grilling
• examining
• catechizing
• bombarding
• cross-questioning
• cross-examining
• surveying
• pumping
• besieging
• polling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• responding
• answering
• replying
• observing
• commenting
• avoiding
• remarking
• retorting
• rejoining
• ducking

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

• interrogating
• examining
• quizzing
• querying
• grilling
• pumping
• catechizing
• harassing
• debriefing
• picking the brains of
• sweating
• cross-examining
• giving the third degree to
• hounding
• cross-questioning
• annoying
• pestering
• canvassing
• polling
• canvasing

Examples of questioning in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After days of relentless questioning, Hakamata initially admitted to the charges against him, but later changed his plea, arguing police had forced him to confess by beating and threatening him. —Lex Harvey, CNN, 25 Sep. 2024

The outsider experience of being held at gunpoint in his mother’s country sets off a deeper questioning of his feathery existence. —Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2024

At his original trial, Amor’s attorneys argued that abusive, coercive questioning by Naperville police resulted in a false confession. —Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2024

Video of police questioning of Milchan, Adelson, as well as Netanyahu’s wife Sara and eldest son Yair also was leaked to Gibney and is featured prominently in the documentary. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2024