Synonyms

interrogate

American

[in-ter-uh-geyt] / ɪnˈtɛr əˌgeɪt /

verb (used with object)

to ask questions of (a person), sometimes to seek answers or information that the person questioned considers personal or secret.

Synonyms:

query
to examine by questions; question formally.

The police captain interrogated the suspect.
to analyze (an idea or belief), especially by thoroughly and dispassionately questioning its underlying assumptions.

The antiwork movement seeks to interrogate the concept of work as we know it today.

verb (used without object)

to ask questions, especially formally or officially.

the right to interrogate.

interrogate British

/ ɪnˈtɛrəˌɡeɪt /

verb

to ask questions (of), esp to question (a witness in court, spy, etc) closely

"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

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of interrogate

First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin interrogātus, past participle of interrogāre “to question, examine,” equivalent to inter- “between, among, together” + rogā(re) “to ask” + -tus past participle suffix; see inter-

Explanation

To interrogate is to ask someone a bunch of questions. Usually, it’s the police, FBI, or other law-enforcement officials who interrogate suspects, but your father-in-law may interrogate you about your career plans. Interrogate comes from the Latin prefix inter-, “between” added to the Latin verb rogare, “to ask.” To interrogate someone is not just asking a few polite questions over a cup of tea. When you interrogate someone there is usually a method to the questioning with a specific mission in mind, like determining a criminal's motive or where she stashed the loot. Your college entrance interview may feel like an interrogation, but their mission is really just to get to know you.

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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.

Analysts told AFP that US government officials and lawmakers are likely to interrogate Cheng on the KMT's position on China and its decision to slash the government's special defence budget.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Hansen would then make a dramatic entrance and interrogate the men, who would often stammer and bumble through the encounter before leaving.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

They view location data from cell tower logs and interrogate Gazan detainees to uncover who did what.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

"We are left to speculate some, as our ability to interrogate insulators stops a little," explained Dean -- their expertise is in transport measurements, and insulators don't transport a current.

From Science Daily • Feb. 5, 2026

He left Blackie surrounded by guards and rushed with Agent Smith to interrogate Burkhart again.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

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