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
Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced vigorous questioning—and calls to resign—over his handling of Mandelson’s appointment.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 19 May 2026
Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 2 June 2026
An activist investor was beginning to encircle the board, questioning, among other things, whether the new CEO, Hillary Super, could handle running a public company.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for questioning
Noun
Officers found the men in question, later identified as Christoph Rehak and Gunther Manfred Jekschtat, at the Colony Hotel, where they were detained for questioning.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced vigorous questioning—and calls to resign—over his handling of Mandelson’s appointment.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 19 May 2026
Verb
But others at the program are questioning how Bilton, who has never worked in television news, will run the iconic show.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 2 June 2026
An activist investor was beginning to encircle the board, questioning, among other things, whether the new CEO, Hillary Super, could handle running a public company.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for questioning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for questioning
Adjective
-
But it's also made people even more skeptical of public figures whose appearances seem naturally frozen in time.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
Many consumers are wary, skeptical, and even disgusted by AI content in ads.—
Melissa A. Wheeler,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Her hyperfocus on the leaf raises questions that extend far beyond the kitchen, inviting an inquiry into the banana plant’s movement across geographies and its role in sustaining cultural traditions.—
Sophia Rey,
JSTOR Daily,
28 May 2026
-
Todd Becker, senior trial attorney at the Becker Law Group, said his firm had already received inquiries from more than 200 people impacted by the evacuation order, including many business owners looking to recoup lost income.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Oliver Larkin, who worked on behalf of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, is challenging Moskowitz from the progressive left in the Democratic primary.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
28 May 2026
-
While the remote learning time during the COVID pandemic was challenging for many students, Ashlyn Duran used it to learn more about a subject that fascinated her.—
Amy Stark Shireman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
By mid-November, the administration was even pondering a 40-cent-per-gallon levy, with the proceeds eventually refunded to consumers.—
Joseph Thorndike,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Would that every schoolchild could stand on the grassy knoll for a quiet minute, pondering the imponderables.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
But doubting the Golden Knights doesn’t end well.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
That said, there’s little doubting Ross’ competence or professionalism.—
The Editorial Board,
Daily News,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Leaders can make that distinction explicit by asking debaters to move from critique to contribution.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
There were so few sightings of lovebugs in 2023 that Leppla and other entomologists received calls from the public asking where the irksome little critters went.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The same instinct to accumulate without interrogating shows up everywhere.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
-
Afterward, he was forced into a truck, where agents continued interrogating him after finding contacts linked to Argentine judicial agencies on his cellphone.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Southlake police stopped an in-progress forgery at a bank after staff notified them about suspicious activity, officials said in a Facebook post.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 May 2026
-
Create a family script for suspicious calls None of the protections above stops a phone call.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Questioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/questioning. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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