inquiry

Also en·quir·y

[in-kwahyuhr-ee, in-kwuh-ree]

noun

plural

inquiries 

1. a seeking or request for truth, information, or knowledge.

   Synonyms: exploration, scrutiny, study

2. an investigation, as into an incident.

   a Congressional inquiry into the bribery charges.

3. the act of inquiring or of seeking information by questioning; interrogation.

4. a question; query.

   Antonyms: reply, answer

inquiry

/ ɪnˈkwaɪərɪ /

noun

1. a request for information; a question

2. an investigation, esp a formal one conducted into a matter of public concern by a body constituted for that purpose by a government, local authority, or other organization

Other Word Forms

• reinquiry noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inquiry¹

First recorded in 1400–50; inquire + -y ³; replacing late Middle English enquery

Synonym Study

See investigation.

Example Sentences

The school, where Weiss has a seat on the board, pitches itself as “dedicated to the fearless pursuit of truth,” with a focus on “open inquiry and civil discourse.”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Embassy in Seoul, which will field relevant inquiries.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

A German parliamentary inquiry last year said that a social, environmental and human-rights impact assessment would precede any export credit or investment guarantees for the project.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

In July, the chair of the inquiry, Sir Wyn Williams, delivered his findings into the human impact of the scandal and called for urgent action.

Read more on BBC

Written evidence to an inquiry highlighted concerns that the process was inefficient and hard to navigate for families.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• analysis 
• audit 
• examination 
• hearing 
• inspection 
• interrogation 
• investigation 
• probe 
• query 
• question 
• questioning 
• request 
• research 
• scrutiny 
• search 
• study 
• survey 

When To Use

What's the difference between inquiry and enquiry?

Inquiry and enquiry have the same meanings: a question, an investigation, a request for information, or the process of seeking information. Enquiry is a less common variant of inquiry.Their verb forms—inquire and enquire—also mean the same thing: to ask, to seek information, or to investigate.Both inquiry and enquiry are somewhat formal, especially compared to similar terms like question or investigation. Some speakers of British English may use both words, preferring inquiry in contexts that are more formal. In the U.S., enquiry is rarely used.Here’s an example of inquiry used correctly in a sentence.Example: I forwarded you an email with an inquiry about the open position.Enquiry could be used in this sentence in the same exact way.Most of these same distinctions apply to the verbs inquire and enquire.To learn more about them, read the full breakdown of the difference between inquire and enquire.