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

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.

Would detectives be limited to inquiring about specific customers?

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

Soon after, brands reached out for the first time inquiring about possibly paying her for promotional partnerships.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

“I don’t have my spiel yet!” she warns, inquiring for the first of a few times what I thought of it and whether I enjoyed it.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

Steve Tisch, co-owner of the New York Giants, is shown in the release of Epstein-related documents inquiring about a woman he met at Epstein's house.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

Above all, it didn’t answer any of the questions that the illustration stirred up in a normal inquiring mind: How did we end up with a Sun in the middle of our planet?

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

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