questioning

ques·tion·ing
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/ˈkwɛs.t͡ʃə.nɪŋ//ˈkwɛs.tjə.nɪŋ//ˈkwɛʃ.t͡ʃə.nɪŋ/US, also/ˈkwɛʃ.tə.nɪŋ/

noun

The action of asking questions; a survey; an inquiry.

“Why do you have a questioning look? Are you puzzled about something?”

CommonScrabble 21

Meanings

nounquestioning (countable and uncountable, plural questionings)

plural questionings

  1. countableuncountableThe action of asking questions; a survey; an inquiry.

    I didn’t know much about medical supplies, so I took the list Docc handed me without much questioning.

    2018, Megan DeVos, Anarchy, Orion, →ISBN
  2. countableuncountableThe act of challenging, wondering, and doubting.
  3. countableuncountableInterrogation.

    The official Central News agency said a Nationalist patrol boat Dec. 28 captured six Communist spies disguised as fishermen as they approached within 1,000 yards of the Paichuan in a motorized fishing craft. They were taken to Matsu for questioning.

    1955 December 31, “Chiang Says Time Near For Mainland Uprising”, in The Christian Science Monitor, Atlantic edition, volume 48, number 31, Boston, sourced from Associated Press, Taipei, Formosa, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 4, column 5
adjectivequestioning (not generally comparable, comparative more questioning, superlative most questioning)

comparative more questioning · superlative most questioning

  1. not comparableusuallyCharacterized by questions, inquisitiveness, doubt, or wonder; quizzical.

    Why do you have a questioning look? Are you puzzled about something?

  2. not comparableusuallyUnsure of one's sexual orientation or gender identity.

    We entertain the boy and it becomes more evident that his dad is trans and he is questioning; my coworker keeps frowning about it.

    2020 February 4, “Transitioning To Some New Protocols”, in Not Always Right, archived from the original on 29 Jan 2021
    1 more example

    Girls broadly fared worse than boys, and there is “ongoing and extreme distress” among teens who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or questioning (LGBQ+).

    2023 February 13, Deidre McPhillips, “Teens, especially girls, are experiencing more violence, suicidal thoughts and mental health challenges, CDC survey finds”, in CNN
verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of question

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveperplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know)

adjectivemarked by or given to doubt

adjectiveshowing curiosity

nouna request for information

Similar

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishquestionyng
  2. Englishquestioning

From question + -ing (noun via Middle English questionyng).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch ondervraging
  • ondervragingaction of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
Esperanto demandado
  • demandadoaction of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
German Befragung
  • Befragungaction of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
Hindi पूछताछ
  • पूछताछ (pūchtāch)action of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
Irish ceistiú
  • ceistiúaction of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
Russian опро́с
  • опро́с (oprós)action of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
Spanish preguntadera, pregunteo
  • preguntaderaaction of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
  • pregunteoaction of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
  • preguntorioaction of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
  • cuestionamientoaction of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
Ukrainian о́пит, опи́тування
  • о́пит (ópyt)action of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
  • опи́тування (opýtuvannja)action of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
  • до́пит (dópyt)action of asking questions; a survey or inquiry
Cite this entry
APA

questioning. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/questioning

MLA

“questioning.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/questioning. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “questioning,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/questioning.

Source: questioning on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.