interrogation
Americannoun
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the act of interrogating; questioning.
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an instance of being interrogated.
He seemed shaken after his interrogation.
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a question; inquiry.
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a written list of questions.
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an interrogation point; question mark.
noun
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the technique, practice, or an instance of interrogating
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a question or query
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telecomm the transmission of one or more triggering pulses to a transponder
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of interrogation
1350–1400; Middle English interrogacio ( u ) n < Latin interrogātiōn- (stem of interrogātiō ). See interrogate, -ion
Explanation
An interrogation is a question or an intense questioning session. Police do interrogations of suspects all the time. Have you ever heard someone say, "What is this? An interrogation?" People say that when they feel like they're being questioned a little too much. An interrogation can mean a single question or a series of questions. Police stations usually have interrogation rooms for questioning suspects. When someone is doing an interrogation, they're looking for answers, and it's usually about something very serious.
Vocabulary lists containing interrogation
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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:
Three episodes of “The Man Will Burn” have aired with very little interrogation of how well it lives up to its hallowed 10 Principles, one of which is Radical Inclusion.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
Although one participant appeared remotely, on a large TV monitor, during the real interrogation, the theatrical version places all three figures in the same room.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
He prefers a coffee and a walk for a first date "where you can actually get to know someone" rather than dinner which "can feel a bit like an interrogation".
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
Prosecution documents say that during an interrogation in late January 2025, investigators asked him why someone might commit arson in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
He threw the door wide so my cell was lit by the blazing electric bulbs in the interrogation room and uttered in disbelief, “Eva Seiler?”
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
Those who were gay - or perceived to be gay - often faced intrusive interrogations, being "outed" to friends and family, and the shame of dishonourable discharge.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Other suspects detained in Madagascar over the affair identified Ravatomanga, during interrogations conducted notably by the FBI, as the mastermind of the deal, people with knowledge of the case have told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2025
I pleaded to the officer to release them, and he promised to do so after the interrogations.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2025
Today, there are many companies across the U.S. that teach a version of interrogations that includes deception and the notion that, with proper training, officers can detect when someone is lying.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2024
“We saw their interrogations several weeks ago, Christina.”
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
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.
