query
Americannoun
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queries
plural
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a question; an inquiry.
-
mental reservation; doubt.
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Printing. a question mark (?), especially as added on a manuscript, proof sheet, or the like, indicating doubt as to some point in the text.
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an inquiry from a writer to an editor of a magazine, newspaper, etc., regarding the acceptability of or interest in an idea for an article, news story, or the like: usually presented in the form of a letter that outlines or describes the projected piece.
verb (used with object)
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queries,
present (3rd person singular)
-
queried,
past participle, past
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querying
present participle
-
to ask or inquire about.
No one queried his presence.
-
to question as doubtful or obscure.
to query a statement.
-
Printing. to mark (a manuscript, proof sheet, etc.) with a query.
-
to ask questions of.
noun
-
a question, esp one expressing doubt, uncertainty, or an objection
-
a less common name for question mark
verb
-
to express uncertainty, doubt, or an objection concerning (something)
-
to express as a query
"What's up now?" she queried
-
to put a question to (a person); ask
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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querysimple
-
queriessimple
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have queriedperfect
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has queriedperfect
-
am queryingprogressive
-
are queryingprogressive
-
is queryingprogressive
-
have been queryingperfect progressive
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has been queryingperfect progressive
Past
-
queriedsimple
-
had queriedperfect
-
was queryingprogressive
-
were queryingprogressive
-
had been queryingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of query
First recorded in 1625–35; alteration (with the influence of -y 3 ) of earlier quere, from Latin quaere quaere
Explanation
A query is a question, or the search for a piece of information. The Latin root quaere means "to ask" and it's the basis of the words inquiry, question, quest, request, and query. Query often fits the bill when referring to Internet searches, polite professional discourse, and subtle pleas. You could query as to the whereabouts of the lavatory, but you'd sound a bit prim and be better off asking "Where's the toilet?" If your job entails dealing with annoying questions and complaints, you could make it sound better by proclaiming, "I respond to customer queries."
Vocabulary lists containing query
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Instead of "Said": Words for Asking and Offering
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Where the Red Fern Grows
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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.
See Examples For:
Later, on social media, Gunn responded to a fan’s query regarding those rumored to be front-runners for the Batman role.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
But events in el-Fasher represent "one of the clearest and most severe examples of the wider impact of the conflict on health care in Sudan," the WHO said in response to a BBC query.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
The most notable blooper: “my president” instead of “my husband,” when answering a query about work-life balance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Rohingya make up the majority of Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, but Kuala Lumpur has not responded to an AFP query about the number onboard.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
Once she’d found half a dozen, she went to Harry Dibdin at the Bodleian Library with another cataloging query.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
EU Court of Justice Advocate General Maciej Szpunar said Tuesday that a publisher’s rights could be infringed when chatbots retrieve and reuse material from online publications to generate answers to user queries under certain circumstances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Among other queries, they also questioned how the association could "reconcile its continued partnership with Rwanda with its purported commitment to justice".
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
EU Court of Justice advocate general Maciej Szpunar said Tuesday that a publisher’s rights could be infringed when chatbots retrieve and reuse material from online publications to generate answers to user queries under certain circumstances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
That’s led investors to wonder why growth in the number of queries isn’t helping search revenue to the degree it did in previous quarters.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
He queries me with a series of head tilts.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
The paper says the couple "realise Meghan's claim a Royal Family member had queried son Archie's skin colour was 'her biggest mistake'"
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Monday’s research queried people about their jobs, how often they use AI and how they use it.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
He queried aides about why Iran wasn’t backing down amid the unrelenting bombing campaign.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
In Target, she’d be queried about where to find the Christmas decorations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
“Dahlman?” he queried, but the man made no response.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
An October 2025 report from the Justice Department Inspector General found that the FBI has “implemented all of RISAA’s querying reforms” and that the number of noncompliant queries had been “reduced substantially.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 13, 2026
Wolff was also receiving advice from Epstein, at one point querying him about the best questions to ask Trump in a coming Oval Office interview.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2025
"These actors generally sought to use OpenAI services for querying open-source information, translating, finding coding errors, and running basic coding tasks," the firm said at the time.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2025
That’s why analysts have consistently flagged the upcoming park during earnings calls for rival Disney, querying executives about the potential pressure on Disney World and how the company plans to compete.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2025
"I'll be querying them about the carriage, showing the false orders Willem created. I'll draw it out as long as I can, but you'll have barely any time, and they absolutely cannot see you."
From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
