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

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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

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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

He insisted he only posed the question to the Vulins because they were walking their infant through an area of West Hollywood lined with nightclubs and bars.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

"In the UK, 32 government services were down", the paper reports, before asking the question "are you emergency ready?"

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Beyond engineering, there is also a policy question: For any consequential decision, did a human have final say?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

“To me, the question investors are asking is simple: When does all this spending pay off?”

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

“Just wait till you see what’s for dessert this noon!” she’d tell us at the breakfast table, and all morning in the shop the question would shimmer in the back of our minds.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Peters ignored reporters’ questions and spoke only to the dog as he entered the building.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett ordered Trump to sit for a videotaped deposition to take questions from the BBC’s lawyers by Dec. 11.

From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2026

The exits this year have intensified questions about Weil’s future, but its woes predate that.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

Yet Wedgewood also lied to media outlets that did ask probing questions about its methods, so that explanation is hard to take at face value.

From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2026

Over and over again the group worked with me—Nils, Henk, Leendert—bursting into my room without warning, shaking me awake, hurling questions at me.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

United's 4-1 Champions League defeat in Italy was the result of a wretched performance and Fernandes questioned boss Michael Carrick's tactics.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

McMurdock, who now sits as an independent, was the first MP to be questioned over bounce back loans given to two fitness companies worth £70,000.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

"Everyone who profited from market-disrupting activities has been identified," Simsek told HaberTurk TV and HT Bloomberg, without indicating how many people were involved, and whether they had been detained or questioned.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

Weber and other state officials also questioned the drop from 190,000 to 20,000, and the reliability of the federal government’s underlying data and methodology.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

Also on April 20, Dr. Mudd was questioned again by the cavalry.

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

When not questioning Mr. Talarico’s sexuality, Mr. Vance emphasized Mr. Paxton’s willingness to take on big business.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

The board ultimately rejected the offer, with investors questioning how the deal would be financed.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

However, scientists are questioning whether these changes tell the whole story.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026

Investors are increasingly questioning the sustainability of the capex cycle and whether sufficient returns can be derived from the initial investment, given the huge sums involved.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

Mrs. Redfield took over the questioning, “If you are an injured spirit, manifest it by three raps.”

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

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Related Words

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