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direct question

British

noun

a question asked in direct speech, such as Why did you come? Compare indirect question

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Well, you certainly know how to ask a direct question.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026

“I tried to come up with the most direct question possible.”

From Salon • Sep. 3, 2025

Porter sat next to her attorney with her hands folded in her lap, speaking only when the judge asked her a direct question.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2024

He did not respond to a direct question about how much it cost, but said the amounts being "bandied around are ridiculous".

From BBC • May 27, 2024

Aunt Lydia said it was best not to speak unless they asked you a direct question.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023