enquire
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
Usage
What's the difference between enquire and inquire? Enquire and inquire mean the same thing: to ask, to seek information, or to investigate. Enquire is a less common variant of inquire. Their noun forms—enquiry and inquiry—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 enquire in contexts that are less formal. In the U. S., enquire is rarely used. Here’s an example of enquire used correctly in a sentence. Example: I’m calling to enquire about the open position. Inquire could be used in this sentence in the same exact way. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between enquire and inquire.
Other Word Forms
Explanation
You might enquire, or ask about, the difference between the words enquire and "inquire." Good question. The answer is, not much. They are the same word with different spellings. Typically the British prefer the "e" version, but both are correct. When you enquire about something, you are asking a question. This can come in many forms. Sometimes when you enquire, you are doing an investigation of a crime or an unsolved mystery. The National Enquirer is a tabloid that investigates celebrity gossip. But enquiring doesn't always have to be so dramatic. You could just be enquiring about the time.
Vocabulary lists containing enquire
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:
India's foreign ministry said consular officials had visited Pant "to enquire about his wellbeing".
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
He was among five independent UN rights experts who sent a communication to the Indian government in 2024 to enquire about Nijjar's assassination.
From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026
“We went to several police stations to enquire, but they said they had no information on him and he was not in their custody,” she recalls.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2024
Jeremiah Wong, senior marketing communications manager at tour agency Chan Brothers Travel in Singapore, said some concerned customers had called to enquire about options for upcoming Australia trips due to the new isolation requirement.
From Reuters ● Nov. 29, 2021
She longed to enquire of the housekeeper whether her master was really absent, but had not the courage for it.
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
Liverpool enquired about Adam Wharton earlier in the year but they are not the only club interested in the Crystal Palace midfielder.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
AC Milan have accelerated their interest in the France international, having initially enquired in January, but Palace want a fee of £40m after previously rejecting a bid of £35m from Forest.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
He enquired about a connection to mains electricity but was quoted £27,000 by his supplier, SP Electricity North West.
From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2025
"We were told it was for the US deportees after we enquired," he said, adding the ministry had been kept in the dark throughout the process.
From Barron's ● Nov. 17, 2025
He enquired how far Netherfield was from Meryton; and, after receiving her answer, asked in a hesitating manner how long Mr. Darcy had been staying there.
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
She suggests, too, that an “expedition into morally deviant worlds can be good for the enquiring mind.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
“He was constantly enquiring; some things he was pretty sure of, but much was in a state of enquiry,” she wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 18, 2025
"The decision of who to let to is entirely with the landlord. We also do not prevent tenants from enquiring about any property," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2023
"There are simply not enough homes available to rent to meet the demand from people enquiring."
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2022
As to his real character, had information been in her power, she had never felt a wish of enquiring.
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
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.
