interrogate

American

[in-ter-uh-geyt] / ɪnˈtɛr əˌgeɪt /

verb (used with object)

interrogated, interrogating

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)

interrogated, interrogating

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

interrogable adjective
interrogatingly adverb
interrogee noun
reinterrogate verb
uninterrogable adjective
uninterrogated adjective

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; inter-

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.

There wasn’t a lot of time on set in Budapest for leisure, but the pair would often discuss their work or interrogate upcoming scenes while in their side-by-side makeup chairs.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026

What does it mean to label a call for equality “antisemitic”? Let us interrogate this accusation.

From Slate • Jan. 1, 2026

According to research I’ve done for the Diversity Project, a U.K. initiative to improve diversity in asset management, teams perform better when members bring different perspectives, uncover blind spots and interrogate assumptions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 26, 2025

But before diving into the implications, Muñoz has to interrogate multiple hypotheses until he can find one that is practical and plausible.

From Science Daily • Oct. 15, 2025

They don’t interrogate many women in Ormaie—usually send them straight to prison in Paris, I think.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

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