inquisitive
adjective
in·quis·i·tive
in-ˈkwi-zə-tiv 
1
: given to examination or investigation
2
: inclined to ask questions
especially
: inordinately or improperly curious about the affairs of others
inquisitively
adverb
inquisitiveness
noun
Examples of inquisitive in a Sentence
… but now, with the wanderings of the fleets and their inquisitive occupants producing words from all over, the English vocabulary was enhanced not merely by the usual suspects but by words from India and Turkey, Arabia and Malaya, Japan and the native peoples of North America …
—
Simon Winchester, The Meaning of Everything, 2003
It's partly because humans are naturally inquisitive and exploratory but also, and more significant, because we need the unknown, what historians of religion call "otherness," to lend our lives significance.
—David Nicholson-Lord, Nation, 6 Oct. 1997
Inquisitive eyes reveal the dingo's true nature—it's a hunter, from its cocked ears and powerful jaws to the white tip of its tail.
—Mitch Reardon, Australian Geographic, July–September 1992
an inquisitive woman who tends to everybody's business but her own
Simon Winchester, The Meaning of Everything, 2003
It's partly because humans are naturally inquisitive and exploratory but also, and more significant, because we need the unknown, what historians of religion call "otherness," to lend our lives significance.
—David Nicholson-Lord, Nation, 6 Oct. 1997
Inquisitive eyes reveal the dingo's true nature—it's a hunter, from its cocked ears and powerful jaws to the white tip of its tail.
—Mitch Reardon, Australian Geographic, July–September 1992
an inquisitive woman who tends to everybody's business but her own
Recent Examples on the Web
Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.
—Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
The two share an inquisitive and child-like energy, turning heavy conversations about growing up broke, the solitude of incarceration, and desperate cries for attention, into something remarkably light.
—Malina Saval, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Family members, rabbis, strangers, a best friend and his inquisitive wife, an insurance adjuster, a tattoo artist and Julie — the woman who eventually helps pull Moses back toward life — all serve the larger narrative.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
As a child, Signe was bright, curious, and inquisitive.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inquisitive
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Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
The two share an inquisitive and child-like energy, turning heavy conversations about growing up broke, the solitude of incarceration, and desperate cries for attention, into something remarkably light.
—Malina Saval, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Family members, rabbis, strangers, a best friend and his inquisitive wife, an insurance adjuster, a tattoo artist and Julie — the woman who eventually helps pull Moses back toward life — all serve the larger narrative.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
As a child, Signe was bright, curious, and inquisitive.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inquisitive
Cite this Entry
“Inquisitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inquisitive. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inquisitive
adjective
in·quis·i·tive
in-ˈkwiz-ət-iv
1
: tending to inquire or investigate
2
: asking many questions
especially
: too curious about other people's affairs
inquisitively
adverb
inquisitiveness
noun
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