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
Relevance
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?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 questioning
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 June 2026
Police have taken a man into custody for further questioning, Gonzalez said.
—
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2026
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
1 July 2026
Conservative critics seized upon those allegations, accusing Hosseini of exerting outsized influence over UF’s presidential search process and questioning whether trustees had exercised independent judgment in selecting Bell.
—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for questioning
Noun
In another line of questioning, a prosecutor asked Hogan whether, if Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Capt.
—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 June 2026
Police have taken a man into custody for further questioning, Gonzalez said.
—
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2026
Verb
After questioning, the infant's father, identified as 19-year-old Ca’Marion Pawnell, was also arrested, according to police.
—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
1 July 2026
Conservative critics seized upon those allegations, accusing Hosseini of exerting outsized influence over UF’s presidential search process and questioning whether trustees had exercised independent judgment in selecting Bell.
—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for questioning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for questioning
Adjective
-
When Axsome went public in 2015, Wall Street was skeptical and the company’s stock puttered along under $10 for years.
-
Contrary to what the public has been led to believe, America’s Founding Fathers were skeptical and anxious about democracy.
Noun
-
This will trigger a hard credit inquiry that will temporarily lower your credit score several points.
-
To stop seeking answers is a choice to dim a light that has guided human inquiry for millennia.
Verb
-
Are the needs of another challenging your emotional state?
-
Amid a challenging macroeconomic climate, American design furniture conglomerate MillerKnoll swung to a positive net earnings position in its fiscal fourth quarter.
Verb
-
Bravo is sipping its cuppa and pondering what to do about those interesting ladies across the pond.
-
Some viewers appear to enjoy seeing the princess in modern settings, pondering over what could have been if her life wasn't cut short.
Verb
-
And without doubting the ongoing popularity of Toy Story and its sequels, the group most likely to look with special fondness upon Sheriff Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the like are those who saw the first movie 31 years ago — once again, the parents.
-
All of those Republicans are seriously doubting the president here, Senator Graham.
Verb
-
In Cañon City, Colorado, authorities are aiming for a 20% to 30% reduction in water use while asking residents to voluntarily conserve outdoor water consumption.
-
In 1995, the Atlanta Track Club began seeking design submissions and asking the public to select their favorite.
Verb
-
That separation allows teams to focus on interrogating problems rather than defending people.
-
Investigators sat across from nearly every young child at Skyline – many of whose nascent, swinging legs could not yet reach the ground from their chairs – interrogating them over their missing classmate.
Adjective
-
Large-scale events involve tabletop exercises with law enforcement, fire departments, emergency managers and venue officials running through countless scenarios — evacuations, suspicious packages, drones and crowd surges.
-
Residents who witness suspicious activity can contact non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 or call 911 when appropriate.
Cite this Entry
“Questioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/questioning. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
