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
As a senior Justice Department official during the George W. Bush administration, Yoo wrote memos authorizing the use of harsh interrogation tactics on terrorism suspects.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 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
"Never have we seen so many World Cup coaches, team operations, fans and even senior administrators within Fifa member associations, subject to so much interrogation and exclusion," Fare's Powar added.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
Plus, the music will keep me from Sonny’s interrogation, because I can’t answer him if I can’t hear him.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
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
During these interrogations they had been accused of links with Hamas, the men added.
From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2025
Florida, the court tossed confessions made after interrogations under “circumstances calculated to inspire terror.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2024
She was unable, after prolonged and insidious interrogations, to ascertain the causes of Amaranta’s prostration.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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.
