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
Speak
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Ungifted
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Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
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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.
Apart from Yan and Wu, those who were taken away for interrogation were released between 21:00 and 23:00 on Sunday.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the United States for the World Cup after enduring an 11-hour interrogation in Miami, according to media reports.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 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
A surprise-filled interrogation scene brings this absorbing and accessible book to its affecting conclusion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
Last night, after the interrogation, I felt a bit of anxiety.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
