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

Randall included the question within the sermon, which he said concerned school leaders.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

A question about race has appeared on every census since the first was taken in 1790.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

A romantic moment is built around the question of popping a rower’s blister.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

As the attacks pass from lived experience into history, the question is how that generation will understand the events of that day—and all the choices that followed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

I’d assumed that, after my question, the group chat would have blown up.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

That will be one of the questions that will be answered when the Super Bowl-favorite Rams open the season against the San Francisco 49ers at Melbourne Cricket Ground before a crowd of nearly 100,000 fans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

It also raised questions about the effectiveness of holding an unprecedented midterm convention in the first place.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

On Thursday in Melbourne, about nine hours after they arrived, Coach Sean McVay looked and sounded happy that he no longer had to answer questions about the team’s travel strategy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

Now, JD’s large-language AI model can do that work, giving farmers quick answers to their questions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

When I got in the car, Mom’s eyes swam with a million questions but the only one she asked was if I wanted to talk.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

After Metro sued the city, a judge sided with Burbank and questioned Metro’s argument that a delay on this part of the route would affect the plan for the Games.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

Members of the board questioned the Menendez brothers during their hearing last year about violating prison rules, including using contraband cellphones.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Beverage industry columnists and analysts in recent months have questioned whether the collective Aperol appetite is waning in favor of the Hugo Spritz, an elderflower-based cocktail usually made with Bacardi’s St-Germain liqueur.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

When he was questioned remotely in the 9/11 families' lawsuit in 2021, Bayoumi insisted he had not met Awlaki.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

When they arrived at the farm, the soldiers questioned first Mrs. Mudd, then Dr. Mudd.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

The committee's questioning focused on testing and cleaning up of suspected sites, of which there could be thousands.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

Javid said decisions like these also leave parents who work in the health sector questioning whether to stay in the country when their children are deported.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

The acknowledgment comes after Reuters reported that Kennedy directed CDC Director Erica Schwartz to remove references to two Pennsylvania deaths from the agency’s national measles count after questioning whether the disease contributed to them.

From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026

In one deposition, a lawyer for Steven asks whom she talked to prior to the questioning.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

I am so glad I have type-written out my own journal, so that, in case he asks about Lucy, I can hand it to him; it will save much questioning.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Related Words

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