inquiring

American

[in-kwahyuhr-ing] / ɪnˈkwaɪər ɪŋ /

adjective

seeking facts, information, or knowledge.

an inquiring mind.
curious; probing; inquisitive in seeking facts.

an inquiring reporter.
scrutinizing; questioning.

He looked at his father with inquiring eyes.

inquiring British

/ ɪnˈkwaɪərɪŋ /

adjective

seeking or tending to seek answers, information, etc

an inquiring mind

"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

Other Word Forms

inquiringly adverb
noninquiring adjective
noninquiringly adverb
uninquiring adjective

Etymology

Origin of inquiring

First recorded in 1595–1605; inquire + -ing ²

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.

Within the hour, Stabile said, he got a call from Smith, inquiring about a release plan.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

In the correspondence, Sultan asked, "Should I accept the invitation," before inquiring whether it would be possible to "shake hand with Trump".

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

And there are reasons to do that; inquiring minds want to know what happens next.

From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025

By Friday afternoon, Baker said, he had received hundreds of inquiring calls.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025

I had been studying very carefully the way my hands wrinkled when tightly clenched, but I was able to bring my head up and return his inquiring look.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles

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