inquire
Americanverb (used without object)
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to seek information by questioning; ask.
to inquire about a person.
- Synonyms:
- query, examine, investigate
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to make investigation (usually followed byinto ).
to inquire into the incident.
- Synonyms:
- query, examine, investigate
verb (used with object)
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to seek to learn by asking.
to inquire a person's name.
- Synonyms:
- query, examine, investigate
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Obsolete. to seek.
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Obsolete. to question (a person).
verb phrase
verb
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to seek information; ask
she inquired his age
she inquired about rates of pay
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(foll by of) to ask (a person) for information
I'll inquire of my aunt when she is coming
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to make a search or investigation
Usage
What's the difference between inquire and enquire? Inquire and enquire mean the same thing: to ask, to seek information, or to investigate. Enquire is a less common variant of inquire. Their noun forms—inquiry and enquiry—also have the same meanings: a question, an investigation, a request for information, or the process of seeking information. Both inquire and enquire are somewhat formal. Some speakers of British English may use both words, preferring inquire in contexts that are more formal. In the U. S., enquire is rarely used. Here’s an example of inquire used correctly in a sentence. Example: I’m calling to inquire about the open position. Enquire could be used in this sentence in the same exact way. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between inquire and enquire.
Synonym Usage
Inquire, ask, question imply that a person addresses another to obtain information. Ask is the general word: to ask what time it is. Inquire is more formal and implies asking about something specific: to inquire about a rumor. To question implies repetition and persistence in asking; it often applies to legal examinationor investigation: to question the survivor of an accident. Sometimes it implies doubt: to question a figure, an account.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have inquiredperfect
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has inquiredperfect 3rd person singular
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is inquiringprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been inquiringperfect progressive
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am inquiringprogressive 1st person singular
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has been inquiringperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are inquiringprogressive
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inquiringparticiple
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inquiressingular 3rd person
Past
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had inquiredperfect
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were inquiringprogressive plural
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had been inquiringperfect progressive
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inquiredparticiple
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inquiredsimple
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was inquiringprogressive singular
Future
Etymology
Origin of inquire
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin inquīrere “to seek for” ( see in- 2, query); replacing Middle English enqueren, from Old French enquerre, from Latin, as above
Explanation
The verb inquire means "to ask for information." If you wonder about how the world began, you inquire about its origin. Inquire comes from the Latin combination of words in, meaning "into" and quærere, meaning "ask, seek." When you inquire, you look into something. You might ask a question, like inquiring if the bakery is hiring any cake decorators. Inquire can also mean "to conduct an investigation." No matter how you do it, when you inquire, you seek answers.
Vocabulary lists containing inquire
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Instead of "Said": Words for Asking and Offering
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"Working Toward Peace," Vocabulary from the personal essay
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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.
One recent morning, a client from Florida called Hubbard to inquire about a bomb shelter for 10 people.
From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026
It was Pederzoli who thought of Robert Lipsett — a Colburn instructor who has taught Ushikubo for the past 16 years — and called to inquire who he would deem worthy of such an instrument.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025
Other questions inquire about gender and sex, with questions like, “What is the fundamental biological distinction between males and females?” and “Which chromosome pair determines biological sex in humans?”
From Salon • Nov. 5, 2025
And some creditors could have options that you wouldn’t know to inquire about specifically.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025
“Headed out to dinner,” I told her, and then grabbed my coat and got out the door before she could inquire further.
From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
