enquiry
Americannoun
plural
enquiriesUsage
What's the difference between enquiry and inquiry? Enquiry and inquiry 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—enquire and inquire—also mean the same thing: to ask, to seek information, or to investigate.Both enquiry and inquiry are somewhat formal, especially compared to similar terms like question or investigation. Some speakers of British English may use both words, preferring enquiry in contexts that are less formal. In the U.S., enquiry is rarely used.Here’s an example of enquiry used correctly in a sentence.Example: I forwarded you an email with an enquiry about the open position.Inquiry could be used in this sentence in the same exact way.Most of these same distinctions apply to the verbs enquire and inquire.To learn more about them, read the full breakdown of the difference between enquire and inquire.
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.
Holland Road was closed between the Popes Lane junction and the junction with Warren Lane while officers carried out enquiries on Sunday.
From BBC
Essex Police said: "The men, and the driver of the lorry, were all arrested and our enquiries are ongoing."
From BBC
He added: "To help with these enquiries, I would ask anyone who believes they know who these men are, or who thinks that someone they know went missing yesterday evening, to contact us immediately."
From BBC
"We investigated as far as possible but all enquiries have been exhausted at this time," the statement said.
From BBC
Officers investigating this case said a 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation and released on bail while enquiries continued.
From BBC
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.
