interrogate

verb

in·​ter·​ro·​gate in-ˈter-ə-ˌgāt How to pronounce interrogate (audio)
-ˈte-rə-
interrogated; interrogating

transitive verb

1
: to question formally and systematically
2
: to give or send out a signal to (a device, such as a transponder) for triggering an appropriate response
interrogatee noun
Choose the Right Synonym for interrogate

ask, question, interrogate, query, inquire mean to address a person in order to gain information.

ask implies no more than the putting of a question.

ask for directions

question usually suggests the asking of series of questions.

questioned them about every detail of the trip

interrogate suggests formal or official systematic questioning.

the prosecutor interrogated the witness all day

query implies a desire for authoritative information or confirmation.

queried a librarian about the book

inquire implies a searching for facts or for truth often specifically by asking questions.

began to inquire of friends and teachers what career she should pursue

Examples of interrogate in a Sentence

interrogate a prisoner of war interrogated him about where he'd gone the night before
Recent Examples on the Web Yet our community frequently fails to critically interrogate how a commitment to those myths harms other Black people who do not, or cannot model those things. Olayemi Olurin, Essence, 11 Mar. 2024 Another 37 suspects were already searched and interrogated in previous weeks and months. Kirsten Grieshaber, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 The detainees reported being held and interrogated at military sites in Israel, sometimes for weeks on end, before being transferred into the Israeli prison system. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 Each organisation is connected to the others through their individual libraries, which enables them to interrogate all the parties’ data, but the data never has to move; indeed, the individual organisations never actually see any of the raw data of their collaborators. David Prosser, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Orange Police Department detectives arrested Hermosillo near the crime scene and interrogated her in Spanish. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Watching Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher interrogate his character is entertaining in itself, but the most satisfying and engrossing moment is when Brown famously just snaps (and his Emmy nomination is proof). Kelly Martinez, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2024 By interrogating how Shakespeare is interpreted, Sayet taps into larger truths about American and British society’s collective failure to reckon with colonialism. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 But Expats gently interrogates how private anguish can be blinding. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'interrogate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin interrogatus, past participle of interrogare, from inter- + rogare to ask — more at right

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of interrogate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near interrogate

Cite this Entry

“Interrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interrogate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

interrogate

verb
in·​ter·​ro·​gate in-ˈter-ə-ˌgāt How to pronounce interrogate (audio)
interrogated; interrogating
: to question formally and thoroughly
interrogation noun
interrogator
-ˈter-ə-ˌgāt-ər
noun

Legal Definition

interrogate

transitive verb
in·​ter·​ro·​gate in-ˈter-ə-ˌgāt How to pronounce interrogate (audio)
interrogated; interrogating
: to question formally and systematically
especially : to gather information from (a suspect) by means that are reasonably likely to elicit incriminating responses see also miranda rights

Note: Under Rhode Island v. Innis, 446 U.S. 291 (1980), interrogating includes not just express questioning, but also any words or actions that the police should know are reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response. Asking questions that are normally asked in the course of arrest or booking (such as questions about name or age) is not considered interrogation.

interrogation noun
interrogator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on interrogate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!