question

American  

[kwes-chuhn] / ˈkwɛs tʃən /

noun

• questions
  plural

1. a sentence in an interrogative form, addressed to someone in order to get information in reply.

   Synonyms:

   interrogation, query, inquiry

   Antonyms:

   reply, answer

2. a problem for discussion or under discussion; a matter for investigation.

3. a matter of some uncertainty or difficulty; problem (usually followed byof ).

   It was simply a question of time.

4. a subject of dispute or controversy.

5. a proposal to be debated or voted on, as in a meeting or a deliberative assembly.

6. the procedure of putting a proposal to vote.

7. Politics. a problem of public policy submitted to the voters for an expression of opinion.

8. Law.

   1. a controversy that is submitted to a judicial tribunal or administrative agency for decision.

   2. the interrogation by which information is secured.

   3. Obsolete. judicial examination or trial.

9. the act of asking or inquiring; interrogation; query.

10. inquiry into or discussion of some problem or doubtful matter.

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verb (used with object)

• questions,
  present (3rd person singular)
• questioned,
  past participle,  past
• questioning
  present participle

1. to ask (someone) a question; ask questions of; interrogate.

   Synonyms:

   examine, query

   Antonyms:

   reply, answer

2. to ask or inquire.

3. to make a question of; doubt.

   He questioned her sincerity.

4. to challenge or dispute.

   She questioned the judge's authority in the case.

verb (used without object)

• questions,
  present (3rd person singular)
• questioned,
  past participle,  past
• questioning
  present participle

1. to ask a question or questions.

idioms

1. in question,

   1. under consideration.

   2. in dispute.

2. call in / into question,

   1. to dispute; challenge.

   2. to cast doubt upon; question.

      This report calls into question all previous research on the subject.

3. out of the question, not to be considered; unthinkable; impossible.

   She thought about a trip to Spain but dismissed it as out of the question.

4. beg the question. beg.

5. beyond question, beyond dispute; without doubt: Also beyond all question

   It was, beyond question, a magnificent performance.

question British  

/ ˈkwɛstʃən /

noun

1. a form of words addressed to a person in order to elicit information or evoke a response; interrogative sentence

2. a point at issue

   it's only a question of time until she dies

   the question is how long they can keep up the pressure

3. a difficulty or uncertainty; doubtful point

   a question of money

   there's no question about it

4. 1. an act of asking

   2. an investigation into some problem or difficulty

5. a motion presented for debate by a deliberative body

6. to require members of a deliberative assembly to vote on a motion presented

7. law a matter submitted to a court or other tribunal for judicial or quasi-judicial decision

8. (in English law) that part of the issue before a court that is decided by the jury

9. (in English law) that part of the issue before a court that is decided by the judge

10. 1. to avoid giving a direct answer by posing another question

    2. to assume the truth of that which is intended to be proved See petitio principii

11. beyond (any) dispute or doubt

12. 1. to make (something) the subject of disagreement

    2. to cast doubt upon the validity, truth, etc, of (something)

13. under discussion

    this is the man in question

14. beyond consideration; unthinkable or impossible

    the marriage is out of the question

15. informal to propose marriage

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verb

1. to put a question or questions to (a person); interrogate

2. to make (something) the subject of dispute or disagreement

3. to express uncertainty about the validity, truth, etc, of (something); doubt

question More Idioms  

1. see ask a stupid question; beg the question; beside the point (question); beyond question; burning question; call in question; in question; leading question; loaded question; open question; out of the question; pop the question; rhetorical question; without question.

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Usage

Spelling tips for question The word question is hard to spell because it sounds like it might begin with a kw, rather than a qu, as in kwestion. How to spell question: When you ask a question you are on a quest for information. This can help you remember that question begins with qu- rather than kw-. You simply add quest to the common suffix -ion and you have the correct spelling of question.

Synonym Usage

See inquire.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• counterquestion
  noun
• questioner
  noun
• subquestion
  noun
• outquestion
  verb (used with object)
• prequestion
  verb (used with object)
• requestion
  verb (used with object)

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• questions
  plural

Participles

• questioning
  present
• questioned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• question
  simple
• questions
  simple
• have questioned
  perfect
• has questioned
  perfect
• am questioning
  progressive
• are questioning
  progressive
• is questioning
  progressive
• have been questioning
  perfect progressive
• has been questioning
  perfect progressive

Past

• questioned
  simple
• had questioned
  perfect
• was questioning
  progressive
• were questioning
  progressive
• had been questioning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will question
  simple
• will have questioned
  perfect
• will be questioning
  progressive
• will have been questioning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of question

First recorded in 1250–1300; (noun) Middle English questio(u)n, questiun, from Anglo-French questiun, Middle French question, from Latin quaestiōn- (stem of quaestiō ), equivalent to quaes-, stem of quaerere “to ask” + -tiōn- -tion; (verb) late Middle English, from Middle French questioner, derivative of the noun

Explanation

"How am I doing so far?" "What time is it?" These are questions, in other words — sentences designed to get information from someone. Do you understand this definition? Question can also mean a doubt about the truth of something. If your college professor tells you he has a question about the originality of your term paper, for example, it means you might be getting busted for plagiarism. The act of raising such a doubt is also "to question" something. Finally, a question can be something that depends on a particular condition: "Reading dictionaries is a question of interest and intellect." There's no question you have both, clearly.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

question questions questioned questioning

"The relationship is very good," Trump said in response to a shouted question from a journalist at the end of an Oval Office event.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

So I began to explore this question: If I couldn’t buy in the high-cost New York and New Jersey metro areas, why not elsewhere?

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

For Americans, the question is how to achieve a rational and humane immigration policy that is also politically sustainable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

The question is whether we can last the intervening two and a half years.

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

These documents did answer one question: the reason for solitary confinement.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Such language points to the hurdles for even minimal agreements before getting to more difficult questions like Iran’s nuclear program.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Federal Signal did not respond to questions from The Times about the siren.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

Read an explainer of the year’s most bizarre rom-com: One Night Only, the buzzy new movie starring Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, is garnering plenty of chatter—and raising plenty of questions.

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

He asked questions about where they came from, if they'd been married before and if they had any kids.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

I didn’t have long to keep torturing myself with questions.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Analysts have questioned how the deal would work, given that GameStop, with a market cap of around $8.6 billion, is much smaller than eBay, which Wall Street believes is worth nearly $50 billion.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

She reported it the same day, but Levy was only questioned by the Met five months after his release from prison the following year.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

While the Dalai Lama expressed sorrow and questioned the efficacy of such protests, some scholars criticized him for not trying to stop the practice.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

Two former employees allege Egan-Jones pressured staff to inflate ratings, while the SEC has questioned the firm’s reliability.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

She questioned herself, and then called her lawyer, before telling Joanie and Bobby what had happened.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Analysts said the latest developments had traders questioning whether the week's early gains were justified.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

Cassidy’s support almost certainly means that Blanche, who faced tough questioning from even some of Cassidy’s fellow Republicans over his loyalty to the president, will be confirmed as the country’s chief law-enforcement officer.

From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026

Both the father and the mother were called in for questioning at a local police station later on Friday.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

At the same time, investors have been increasingly questioning the return on investment of Alphabet’s AI endeavors, especially amid delays and high-profile departures from the company’s DeepMind lab.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

“Nico,” Jason intervened, “we’re not questioning your power. We just want to make sure you don’t kill yourself trying.”

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• argument
• challenge
• confusion
• debate
• difficulty
• dispute
• mystery
• objection
• problem
• query
• uncertainty