question

American  

[kwes-chuhn] / ˈkwɛs tʃən /

noun

questions plural

1. a sentence in an interrogative form, addressed to someone in order to get information in reply.

   Synonyms:

   interrogation, query, inquiry

   Antonyms:

   reply, answer

2. a problem for discussion or under discussion; a matter for investigation.

3. a matter of some uncertainty or difficulty; problem (usually followed byof ).

   It was simply a question of time.

4. a subject of dispute or controversy.

5. a proposal to be debated or voted on, as in a meeting or a deliberative assembly.

6. the procedure of putting a proposal to vote.

7. Politics. a problem of public policy submitted to the voters for an expression of opinion.

8. Law.

   1. a controversy that is submitted to a judicial tribunal or administrative agency for decision.

   2. the interrogation by which information is secured.

   3. Obsolete. judicial examination or trial.

9. the act of asking or inquiring; interrogation; query.

10. inquiry into or discussion of some problem or doubtful matter.

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verb (used with object)

questions, present (3rd person singular) questioned, past participle, past questioning present participle

1. to ask (someone) a question; ask questions of; interrogate.

   Synonyms:

   examine, query

   Antonyms:

   reply, answer

2. to ask or inquire.

3. to make a question of; doubt.

   He questioned her sincerity.

4. to challenge or dispute.

   She questioned the judge's authority in the case.

verb (used without object)

questions, present (3rd person singular) questioned, past participle, past questioning present participle

1. to ask a question or questions.

idioms

1. in question,

   1. under consideration.

   2. in dispute.

2. call in / into question,

   1. to dispute; challenge.

   2. to cast doubt upon; question.

      This report calls into question all previous research on the subject.

3. out of the question, not to be considered; unthinkable; impossible.

   She thought about a trip to Spain but dismissed it as out of the question.

4. beg the question. beg.

5. beyond question, beyond dispute; without doubt: Also beyond all question

   It was, beyond question, a magnificent performance.

question British  

/ ˈkwɛstʃən /

noun

1. a form of words addressed to a person in order to elicit information or evoke a response; interrogative sentence

2. a point at issue

   it's only a question of time until she dies

   the question is how long they can keep up the pressure

3. a difficulty or uncertainty; doubtful point

   a question of money

   there's no question about it

4. 1. an act of asking

   2. an investigation into some problem or difficulty

5. a motion presented for debate by a deliberative body

6. to require members of a deliberative assembly to vote on a motion presented

7. law a matter submitted to a court or other tribunal for judicial or quasi-judicial decision

8. (in English law) that part of the issue before a court that is decided by the jury

9. (in English law) that part of the issue before a court that is decided by the judge

10. 1. to avoid giving a direct answer by posing another question

    2. to assume the truth of that which is intended to be proved See petitio principii

11. beyond (any) dispute or doubt

12. 1. to make (something) the subject of disagreement

    2. to cast doubt upon the validity, truth, etc, of (something)

13. under discussion

    this is the man in question

14. beyond consideration; unthinkable or impossible

    the marriage is out of the question

15. informal to propose marriage

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verb

1. to put a question or questions to (a person); interrogate

2. to make (something) the subject of dispute or disagreement

3. to express uncertainty about the validity, truth, etc, of (something); doubt

question More Idioms  

1. see ask a stupid question; beg the question; beside the point (question); beyond question; burning question; call in question; in question; leading question; loaded question; open question; out of the question; pop the question; rhetorical question; without question.

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Usage

Spelling tips for question The word question is hard to spell because it sounds like it might begin with a kw, rather than a qu, as in kwestion. How to spell question: When you ask a question you are on a quest for information. This can help you remember that question begins with qu- rather than kw-. You simply add quest to the common suffix -ion and you have the correct spelling of question.

Synonym Usage

See inquire.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• counterquestion
  noun
• questioner
  noun
• subquestion
  noun
• outquestion
  verb (used with object)
• prequestion
  verb (used with object)
• requestion
  verb (used with object)

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• questions
  plural

Participles

• questioning
  present
• questioned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• question
  simple
• questions
  simple
• have questioned
  perfect
• has questioned
  perfect
• am questioning
  progressive
• are questioning
  progressive
• is questioning
  progressive
• have been questioning
  perfect progressive
• has been questioning
  perfect progressive

Past

• questioned
  simple
• had questioned
  perfect
• was questioning
  progressive
• were questioning
  progressive
• had been questioning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will question
  simple
• will have questioned
  perfect
• will be questioning
  progressive
• will have been questioning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of question

First recorded in 1250–1300; (noun) Middle English questio(u)n, questiun, from Anglo-French questiun, Middle French question, from Latin quaestiōn- (stem of quaestiō ), equivalent to quaes-, stem of quaerere “to ask” + -tiōn- -tion; (verb) late Middle English, from Middle French questioner, derivative of the noun

Explanation

"How am I doing so far?" "What time is it?" These are questions, in other words — sentences designed to get information from someone. Do you understand this definition? Question can also mean a doubt about the truth of something. If your college professor tells you he has a question about the originality of your term paper, for example, it means you might be getting busted for plagiarism. The act of raising such a doubt is also "to question" something. Finally, a question can be something that depends on a particular condition: "Reading dictionaries is a question of interest and intellect." There's no question you have both, clearly.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

question questions questioned questioning

“Then it’s a question of who selects the judges, how is the panel comprised. There’s just a lot complexity.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Palazoglu said faculty were ready to take on the question.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

The question those floats are helping investigate is one of the most important - and most contested - in climate science: whether one of the world's great systems of ocean currents is beginning to change.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

Now for a second question: Over that same 30-year period, which of those two ETFs was riskier?

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

I ask the question, even though I know the answer.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett testified before Congress Tuesday, where they fielded questions about security threats, the court’s ethics code and the rise of the “shadow docket.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

A surge in parasitic disease cases that can cause a prolonged bout of debilitating diarrhea is prompting growing concerns from public health officials and questions from the public about the safety of fresh produce.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

He did not take questions from journalists after a speech last month and has conducted one media interview, with LBC, since confirming his intention to stand to replace Sir Keir after entering Parliament.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

Do you have questions about real estate or buying a home that you would like to see covered in MarketWatch?

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

My mind racing with questions, I shove my stuff in my bag and hurry to class.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Some local media outlets on Monday questioned previous government efforts to fix the drainage systems in Dhaka.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

Vlasov and other researchers have increasingly questioned whether that picture is complete.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026

Amato questioned whether the desalination plant proposed for Filicudi should be built for the 250 permanent residents or for the "maximum number of tourists that Filicudi can have during the peak of the season".

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

He questioned why the department is now stopping use of the technology.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026

After White’s team uncovered this scheme, one of the prosecutors questioned David Shoun about it.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

He went further, questioning whether the leadership had the will to deliver the stimulus it kept promising.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

The officials are ostensibly questioning Weist, but they are also, in a sense, questioning their own categories.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

But he didn’t realize that—and there’s a great deal of pressure to comply, when you are confronted with law enforcement questioning your parenting, to show that you have nothing to hide.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

He didn't have a great season, largely because of injuries, when Arsenal won the title, but there is no questioning his quality.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

The breaches threatened the lives of agents and created insidious doubts, with officials questioning each other’s loyalty.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• argument
• challenge
• confusion
• debate
• difficulty
• dispute
• mystery
• objection
• problem
• query
• uncertainty