interrogate

verb

in·​ter·​ro·​gate in-ˈter-ə-ˌgāt How to pronounce interrogate (audio)
-ˈte-rə-
interrogated; interrogating
Synonyms of interrogatenext

transitive verb

1
: to question formally and systematically
2
: to give or send out a signal to (a device, such as a transponder) for triggering an appropriate response
interrogatee
in-ˌter-ə-(ˌ)gā-ˈtē How to pronounce interrogate (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for interrogate

ask, question, interrogate, query, inquire mean to address a person in order to gain information.

ask implies no more than the putting of a question.

ask for directions

question usually suggests the asking of series of questions.

questioned them about every detail of the trip

interrogate suggests formal or official systematic questioning.

the prosecutor interrogated the witness all day

query implies a desire for authoritative information or confirmation.

queried a librarian about the book

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

Examples of interrogate in a Sentence

interrogate a prisoner of war interrogated him about where he'd gone the night before
Recent Examples on the Web His team will leverage the current BepiColombo return mission to further interrogate the subterranean secrets of Mercury. —Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024 Following the release of her new poetry collection, the author continues to interrogate themes of home and displacement. —Zahra Hankir, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Apr. 2024 On stage, memory proves to be the star worth interrogating. —Lisa Kennedy, The Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2024 When Charlotte doesn’t offer her money, unlike her two other best friends, Carrie storms into Charlotte’s apartment to interrogate her. —Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024 The two women filmmakers behind the now viral series speak to Glamour on how interrogating pop culture can lead to societal change and what needs to happen next. —Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2024 Some of the suspects were shown being interrogated beside a road. —Reuters, NBC News, 29 Mar. 2024 Videos of them being battered while being detained and interrogated circulated widely on Russian social media. —Christian Edwards, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024 Surveillance of Hamas in Gaza was instead conducted by tapping phone lines, interrogating Palestinian prisoners, harvesting drone footage, getting access to private social media accounts and hacking into telecommunications systems, Israeli intelligence officers said. —Sheera Frenkel, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'interrogate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin interrogatus, past participle of interrogare, from inter- + rogare to ask — more at right

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of interrogate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near interrogate

interrogant

interrogate

interrogatingly

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Interrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interrogate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

interrogate

verb
in·​ter·​ro·​gate in-ˈter-ə-ˌgāt How to pronounce interrogate (audio)
interrogated; interrogating
: to question formally and thoroughly
interrogation
-ˌter-ə-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce interrogate (audio)
noun
interrogator
-ˈter-ə-ˌgāt-ər
noun

Legal Definition

interrogate

transitive verb
in·​ter·​ro·​gate in-ˈter-ə-ˌgāt How to pronounce interrogate (audio)
interrogated; interrogating
: to question formally and systematically
especially : to gather information from (a suspect) by means that are reasonably likely to elicit incriminating responses see also miranda rights

Note: Under Rhode Island v. Innis, 446 U.S. 291 (1980), interrogating includes not just express questioning, but also any words or actions that the police should know are reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response. Asking questions that are normally asked in the course of arrest or booking (such as questions about name or age) is not considered interrogation.

interrogation
in-ˌter-ə-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce interrogate (audio)
noun
interrogator
in-ˈter-ə-ˌgā-tər How to pronounce interrogate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on interrogate

Nglish: Translation of interrogate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of interrogate for Arabic Speakers

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