- present participle of question.
questioning
Americanadjective
-
indicating or implying a question.
a questioning tone in her voice.
-
characterized by or indicating intellectual curiosity; inquiring.
an alert and questioning mind.
noun
adjective
-
proceeding from or characterized by a feeling of doubt or uncertainty
-
enthusiastic or eager for philosophical or other investigations; intellectually stimulated
an alert and questioning mind
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of questioning
Explanation
Questioning is an appeal or demand for an answer, or for more information. Sometimes the police will bring a witness to a crime into the station for questioning. When you participate in questioning, you may very well have a questioning look on your face. As an adjective, questioning can mean "curious," "confused or perplexed," or even "skeptical." If you show up at school in a clown costume, your teachers and friends might look at you in a questioning way — or they may dive right into the questioning, demanding: "What on earth are you wearing?"
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.
“People are questioning AI in general,” said Viraj Patel, global macro strategist at the investment-research firm Vanda, which tracks retail trading flows.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2026
In September, US auto safety regulators opened an inquiry into Cybercab, questioning how Tesla concluded that a vehicle with no steering wheel, pedals or mirrors meets federal safety rules.
From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2026
But of late, his lack of goals and even his performances have had some fans questioning where he fits into the Scotland team.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
He insists that he wants to work with the flesh-and-blood protagonists to curb his own power, but the audience is left questioning his motives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 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
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
