interrogative 1 of 2

noun

Definition of interrogativenext
as in question
an interrogative expression often used to test knowledge though she phrased it as an interrogative, it was clear that the utterance was more of a command

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

interrogative

2 of 2

adjective

as in quizzical

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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 interrogative
Noun
Up to this point, the narrator’s been an interrogative, at times combative presence. — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 21 June 2026 Owing either to marketing efforts or issues that can only be determined in a therapy session, the signature hits of the Canadian child star’s adult career have boasted choruses as interrogatives. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 17 Aug. 2017
Adjective
Hockney’s paintings and drawings, as well as his later photo collages and digital works, invariably had a playful, exploratory, interrogative relationship with perspective, light, scale, framing, rendering—the basic components of picture-making. — Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026 That single shift, from declarative to interrogative, forces the employee to do the thinking. — Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2026 The statues felt interrogative, like something or someone was already disappointed in me. — Maya Ibbitson, Architectural Digest, 12 Sep. 2024 Her interrogative installations use collage, painting and light to create off kilter realities laced with social commentary. — Briana Miller, oregonlive, 8 Sep. 2023 These law enforcement officers had been trained in all the interrogative techniques that are utilized to elicit a confession. — Eric Fleischauer The Decatur Daily, al, 2 Dec. 2022 Other interrogative terms typically solicit specific information. — Seyward Darby, Longreads, 17 Aug. 2022 Here are nine animating, searching, and interrogative titles with which to start. — Talya Zax, The Atlantic, 26 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interrogative
  1. question
  2. quizzical
  3. inquisitorial
  4. intrusive
Noun
  • O’Donnell and Hasselbeck again publicly sparred over social media after the former replied to a question about their 2007 clash on the Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel podcast.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The real questions are why the ideology took hold after 1970 and whether current conditions will foster it--or exterminate it.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of question
Adjective
  • Dozens of media outlets, from international agencies to local TV stations to true crime podcasters, were inside the Lexington County courthouse to again chronicle every forehead rub and quizzical look from the once rich and imposing Southern lawyer.
    — Jeffrey Collins, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
  • By widening the lens, Clark is able to redirect the book’s gaze from the mother toward a quizzical, sometimes critical, but not unaffectionate portrait of two generations of political activism, with the attendant self-involvement and domestic negligence.
    — James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Definition of quizzical
Adjective
  • Drawing on inquisitorial records, Ginzburg showed how power and resistance are embedded in the same documents, using small-scale cases to illuminate broader tensions between elite and popular culture, and between authority and dissent.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 June 2026
  • Universities and research institutions face inquisitorial scrutiny.
    — Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Definition of inquisitorial
Adjective
  • Even the most intrusive apps ask for seemingly harmless permissions.
    — Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 31 July 2026
  • This predominantly includes deceptive measures and signal disruptions as responses to intrusive drones.
    — Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of intrusive

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Cite this Entry

“Interrogative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interrogative. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of interrogative for Spanish Speakers

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