inquire
Americanverb (used without object)
-
inquires,
present (3rd person singular)
-
inquired,
past participle, past
-
inquiring
present participle
-
to seek information by questioning; ask.
to inquire about a person.
- Synonyms:
- query, examine, investigate
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to make investigation (usually followed byinto ).
to inquire into the incident.
- Synonyms:
- query, examine, investigate
verb (used with object)
-
inquires,
present (3rd person singular)
-
inquired,
past participle, past
-
inquiring
present participle
-
to seek to learn by asking.
to inquire a person's name.
- Synonyms:
- query, examine, investigate
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Obsolete. to seek.
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Obsolete. to question (a person).
verb phrase
verb
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to seek information; ask
she inquired his age
she inquired about rates of pay
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(foll by of) to ask (a person) for information
I'll inquire of my aunt when she is coming
-
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to make a search or investigation
Usage
What's the difference between inquire and enquire? Inquire and enquire mean the same thing: to ask, to seek information, or to investigate. Enquire is a less common variant of inquire. Their noun forms—inquiry and enquiry—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 inquire in contexts that are more formal. In the U. S., enquire is rarely used. Here’s an example of inquire used correctly in a sentence. Example: I’m calling to inquire about the open position. Enquire could be used in this sentence in the same exact way. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between inquire and enquire.
Synonym Usage
Inquire, ask, question imply that a person addresses another to obtain information. Ask is the general word: to ask what time it is. Inquire is more formal and implies asking about something specific: to inquire about a rumor. To question implies repetition and persistence in asking; it often applies to legal examinationor investigation: to question the survivor of an accident. Sometimes it implies doubt: to question a figure, an account.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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inquiresimple
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inquiressimple
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have inquiredperfect
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has inquiredperfect
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am inquiringprogressive
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are inquiringprogressive
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is inquiringprogressive
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have been inquiringperfect progressive
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has been inquiringperfect progressive
Past
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inquiredsimple
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had inquiredperfect
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was inquiringprogressive
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were inquiringprogressive
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had been inquiringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of inquire
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin inquīrere “to seek for” ( see in- 2, query); replacing Middle English enqueren, from Old French enquerre, from Latin, as above
Explanation
The verb inquire means "to ask for information." If you wonder about how the world began, you inquire about its origin. Inquire comes from the Latin combination of words in, meaning "into" and quærere, meaning "ask, seek." When you inquire, you look into something. You might ask a question, like inquiring if the bakery is hiring any cake decorators. Inquire can also mean "to conduct an investigation." No matter how you do it, when you inquire, you seek answers.
Vocabulary lists containing inquire
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Instead of "Said": Words for Asking and Offering
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"Working Toward Peace," Vocabulary from the personal essay
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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:
After ProPublica shared the findings of its investigation and the names of veterans who would appear in it, the agency reached out to several to inquire about their care and offer help.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
For three months, he said, he called StubHub every three days to inquire about the status of his refund, and each time the representative would make him rehash the details of his experience.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
There are three documents Brooks suggest you inquire about:
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Sir Keir dismissed the suggestion he should have done more to inquire about the outcome of Lord Mandelson's vetting process.
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026
“Thank you, no. We are here to inquire if this is the home of Ebenezer Carron, 17th Illinois Infantry, Army of Tennessee.”
From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt
It encourages home sellers to share their listings first with Compass agents, their clients and anyone who inquires.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
“Are these the last days?” a village priest inquires.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026
Melania inquires about what Macron has done to curb bullying and anxiety among French youth.
From Salon ● Feb. 1, 2026
The FBI has made inquires about the Activision settlement, though the focus of the inquiry is unclear.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2025
Padva inquires after the Burgess sisters arrive on their own, since he commonly accompanies them.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
"What happened is to be inquired, where the hospital lacked facilities."
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
Moolenaar’s committee only issued its press release about the trip after I inquired.
From Salon ● May 29, 2026
When he inquired about filing a complaint, a Vivos employee warned him off, Streeter testified in court.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
When Cathleen inquired about the Austin on Hans' website PreWarCar, he got right back in touch.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026
Pro Bono came to our side, having inquired of a sailor, and told us, “Up the Chesapeake. Past Mobjack Bay.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
His constant filming, and his inquiring questions, aroused suspicions.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
Inman-Grant said her agency had begun inquiring what Telegram was doing to combat terrorist and extremist material in March 2024, and had endured "five very difficult months of unresponsiveness".
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The confusion began when the State Department reached out to Couric, wondering why fellow correspondent Scott Pelley’s team was inquiring about Clinton.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
The seller, from Western Colorado, was happy to oblige my “provenance” question, as if I were inquiring about an antique Cartier watch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
And Penelope, too, was half expecting a letter, for she had written to Simon in that morning’s post inquiring about the Gypsy woman.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.
