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

“The real question, which can only be answered by the church’s decision makers, is how much risk they are willing to take,” he told me.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

Her commitment to finishing the job has been in question for more than a year, fueled in part by her own acknowledgments that she could quit early.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

The discovery raises a much larger question about Earth's history: Could magma have transported significant amounts of oxygen from the planet's interior to its surface?

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

He did not take part in Wednesday’s publicity campaign, and the company did not respond to a question about his role.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

Zara pushes through the door to the change room and answers her own question for me.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Like many other major tech firms, Microsoft is investing heavily in the infrastructure that powers AI even as questions remain over whether such huge spending will pay off.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

One of Europe's deadliest train disasters this century has raised fresh questions about safety on Spain's rail network after the transport minister reported an "error" and "inexplicable circumstances" that led to the crash.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

The findings raise important questions about whether replacing sugar with low-calorie alternatives always delivers the health benefits consumers expect, particularly when it comes to the brain.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

The letter made no mention of an expulsion, and the Cuban Consulate didn’t respond to questions about it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Arlo and my aunt have questions that I can’t answer.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Massive demand for AI chips delivered record quarterly profits to South Korea's Samsung Electronics on Thursday, but shares fell as investors questioned the resilience of the global tech boom.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

But some businesses have questioned how much difference it will make to them, suggesting that VAT cuts or moves to make it cheaper for them to employ staff would have been better.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

Some have questioned rising bills and demand to see the math.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

Analysts last week questioned the fund manager’s executives about financing the data-center sector’s breakneck expansion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

Since he was never questioned or stopped at any airport or customs entry point to any country, he felt free to persist with his broadcast vitriol.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

An independent grand jury report found that it was the contractor, not the airport, largely to blame, while also questioning outside consultants over the original project contract.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

With no chemical explanation available, some researchers began questioning whether the mushrooms were responsible at all.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026

Seyfried and the audience must trust Fielder, while questioning that trust at every moment.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026

In the 1970s, several theories were put forward questioning whether the remains in the coffin were actually those of Lady Shep-En-Hor.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

Questioning the Aristotelian doctrine was tantamount to questioning God’s existence.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

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Related Words

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• challenge
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• debate
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• dispute
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• objection
• problem
• query
• uncertainty

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