question 1 of 2

noun

ˈkwes-chən How to pronounce question (audio)
Definition of questionnext
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

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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
as in objection
a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent that these measurements are accurate is beyond question

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in topic
a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition) it's a question of personal responsibility

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
as in to debate
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?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
And that means not just asking the right questions, but doing it differently from the others zillion candidates who read books on interviewing, memorize 50 questions, and regurgitate them robotically. —Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 Soon after their engagement, questions surfaced surrounding a prenuptial agreement. —Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
Legal experts are questioning the authority of the Trump administration to pause the federal funding. —Selina Wang, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2025 Some studies have suggested such links might exist, usually at higher-than-recommended fluoride levels, though some reviewers have questioned the quality of available evidence and said no definitive conclusions can be drawn. —Arkansas Online, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for question
Recent Examples of Synonyms for question
  1. problem
  2. request
  3. objection
  4. topic
  5. challenge
  6. debate
  7. doubt
  8. ask
Noun
  • Irving with Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively, Daniel Gafford along with Klay Thompson and P.J. Washington - that’s a team that would have been a problem.
    — Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Another problem: The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to hear its challenge of a rule that prevents a president from firing independent agency board members without cause.
    — Paul Davidson, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of problem
Noun
  • The Treasury Department didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The White House press office did not respond to a request for comment.
    — Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of request
Noun
  • Provide 7 realistic objections or reasons for apathy that typical customers might have.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
  • There has never been an objection to describing this highly brutal, murderous conduct in words, nor did anyone object to this office when such crime scene images were recently shown on a Netflix documentary.
    — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of objection
Noun
  • Arcadia Earth has been a proponent of the sustainability conversations around fashion, with a pop-up in Soho, New York City amid the pandemic, that became a hub for productive talks with circularity around fashion being the topic of choice.
    — Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Search by title or topic in the Search Bar in the middle of the Home Page, or click on the blue ‘years’ boxes and browse.
    — Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of topic
Verb
  • The judge heard arguments in the case after a federal judge in Massachusetts transferred the 30-year-old's lawsuit challenging her detention to Vermont rather than dismiss it or send it to Louisiana as the U.S. Justice Department wanted.
    — Nate Raymond, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, which went on an historic two-and-a-half week strike in March after negotiations for a new contract broke down, had filed a petition with the Sixth District Court of Appeal on April 1, challenging the ruling of the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
    — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of challenge
Verb
  • Kicking things off, Samantha, who had been debating on leaving the show in the previous episode, managed to pull Farmer John, 25, aside for what proved to be a pivotal conversation.
    — Dory Jackson, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The origins of the pandemic have been hotly debated since its start.
    — Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of debate
Verb
  • If taxpayers are given reason to doubt that the government will respect their privacy, the integrity and efficacy of our voluntary tax system will eventually crumble.
    — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • People have doubted them ever since a 2-1 win over Villa at the City Ground — which came amid a run of six consecutive victories — guided them into the top four.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of doubt
Verb
  • Her mom has successfully kept her isolated from her grandfather even though Hazel has asked a lot about him and shown interest in getting to know him.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
  • This included when one circuit asked fans of Minions: The Rise of Gru to stop throwing bananas (talk about a slippery slope!).
    — Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of ask

Phrases Containing question

Browse Nearby Words

questing
question
questionable
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Cite this Entry

“Question.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/question. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on question

Nglish: Translation of question for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about question

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