1
as in investigation
a systematic search for the truth or facts about something
an inquiry into the origins of the universe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in request
an act or instance of asking for information
one student made a hesitant inquiry about the assignment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 inquiry
No one admits to having asked a bad question in polite company, yet the difference between a superficial inquiry and a penetrating one often determines whether a company merely iterates or genuinely transforms.
—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
This likely means that the ongoing investigation by the CMA, which opened a merger inquiry this month, will feed into Nandy’s work.
—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
This care has always fallen in line with the foundational principles of surgery designed to honor honest scientific inquiry and respect the human condition.
—
Kavitha Ranganathan,
STAT,
29 June 2026
But the scope of AI creators’ inquiry is expanding beyond the humanities and human philosophizing to deeper spiritual questions of what differentiates wisdom from intelligence or factual knowledge from how character is molded.
—
The Christian Science Monitor,
Christian Science Monitor,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for inquiry
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
This likely means that the ongoing investigation by the CMA, which opened a merger inquiry this month, will feed into Nandy’s work.
—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
This care has always fallen in line with the foundational principles of surgery designed to honor honest scientific inquiry and respect the human condition.
—
Kavitha Ranganathan,
STAT,
29 June 2026
But the scope of AI creators’ inquiry is expanding beyond the humanities and human philosophizing to deeper spiritual questions of what differentiates wisdom from intelligence or factual knowledge from how character is molded.
—
The Christian Science Monitor,
Christian Science Monitor,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for inquiry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inquiry
Noun
-
Baglio has since been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal and internal administrative investigations, police said.
-
According to a Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner death investigation report obtained by USA TODAY on July 1, Ransone's brother told an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department that the actor had a history of suicidal ideation.
Noun
-
The Interior Department did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request when asked on Friday if the panels will be replaced by the July 4 holiday this weekend.
-
This change was implemented at the request of the state's board of education.
Noun
-
The agency has not indicated when that review will conclude, and the final scope of any patent could change during the examination process.
-
The findings came after Crump and the child's family pushed for an independent examination and called for transparency and accountability in the investigation into the June 14 shooting.
Noun
-
By simply looking at the exam paper, the glasses could transmit questions to a connected AI large language models, which generated answers and displayed them on the lenses.
-
Gina Martinez, chair of the executive board of the Wilmington Neighborhood Council, said the land in question provides a vital buffer between port activity and residential communities.
Noun
-
For exploration further into the turquoise waters, the property’s jetty can act as a launch point for private yacht charters to secluded beaches, day trips to other islands, a kite surfing adventure, and more.
-
The discovery is the culmination of lead archaeologist Ivan Šprajc’s three-decade-long exploration of the Central Maya Lowlands, home to between 9 and 11 million people during the Maya civilization’s Late Classic period (600–900 CE).
Noun
-
As of early 2026, Google was one of the few that published per-query environmental information for its AI models.
-
Dubey urged marketers to study AI query results to see if the top models are including or citing their brands in the information sources cited in very fine print.
Noun
-
The study also categorized unemployment claims by age and found that a significant portion of claims were from those aged 36 to 65, signaling that AI’s effect doesn’t only affect early-career jobs.
-
As thousands sing, clap and chant together, attendees describe a feeling of bliss and belonging, a chance to step outside the pressures of work, studies and an increasingly competitive society.
Noun
-
The probe was delayed from 2022, and headed for the asteroid Psyche, using a Mars-gravity assist and not arriving until August 2029.
-
Plan for adversaries who can read an entire codebase and configuration, not just probe exposed endpoints.
Cite this Entry
“Inquiry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inquiry. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
