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?
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of questioning
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
But Solis wound up being called only as a limited defense witness, and Duffy’s trial partner, Chris Gair, wound up taking the reins on the questioning.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
Police say the officers were questioning the driver when Rivera, who was in the passenger’s seat, suddenly pulled out a gun and shot Diller.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for questioning
Noun
Throughout his questioning, Corrales repeatedly invoked the experiences of other Latin American countries, describing Moïse as a dictator who was close to drug traffickers.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
But Solis wound up being called only as a limited defense witness, and Duffy’s trial partner, Chris Gair, wound up taking the reins on the questioning.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas sent a letter to the school district on Wednesday questioning the use of the school district’s logo in an advertisement for the program of the Broward Democratic Party’s 2026 Obama Roosevelt Legacy Gala, which was held last month in Sunrise.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
Police say the officers were questioning the driver when Rivera, who was in the passenger’s seat, suddenly pulled out a gun and shot Diller.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for questioning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for questioning
Adjective
-
But Alireza Nader, an Iranian independent analyst based in Washington, is skeptical that economic pressure alone will force a strategic breaking point.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
-
After the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, which claimed some 300,000 lives, Chardy set out to confirm first-hand whether such a high toll was possible in response to an editor’s skeptical questions, said Jacqueline Charles, the Herald’s longtime Haiti and Caribbean correspondent.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The results of that inquiry have never been made public.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
Our report highlights that AI adoption throughout the industry will primarily impact routine, repetitive tasks, such as inventory management, scheduling, or basic customer inquiries.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
For some couples, this shift in dynamics can be challenging enough that partners cannot envision continuing the relationship.—
Patricia Neligan,
AJC.com,
7 May 2026
-
In India, local pastoralists are challenging the 13-gigawatt Ladakh solar and wind project.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The sequence left us pondering our pet cats and, for good measure, our worst selves.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
As Jeff Sanders wrote (here) on Thursday, the Padres are pondering a lot of different ways to deal with their starting pitching situation in the coming weeks.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
While there’s no doubting his ability, his attitude is another story.—
Lindsay Schnell,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
SROs have been controversial, with critics doubting on-campus law enforcement’s efficacy in responding to school shootings.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This is the kind of invention that is going to become increasingly important in an economy that is asking more of the physical world.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
6 May 2026
-
There’s something deeply American about the constant push between frustration and hope, between asking what the hell is going on and still believing there's something worth fighting for.—
Time,
Time,
6 May 2026
Verb
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But those comparisons won’t do The White Lotus any favors, since Beef is more effective than that series’ second and third seasons in interrogating how exclusive locations sharpen class differences.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
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Season 50 is honoring its past and legacy, actively interrogating it, dropping players from different eras into direct competition and letting the game itself reveal what has changed and what hasn’t.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Charmed at first, Nella soon becomes confused and suspicious of her alleged ally as their approaches to racial bias and diversity begin to sharply diverge and the story, told through a past and present timeline, unravels with unexpected twists.—
Laura Zigman,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
-
Los Angeles police evacuated Terminal 2 at LAX on Friday night amid an investigation into a suspicious item.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Questioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/questioning. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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