Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for

inquiry

[ in-kwahyuhr-ee, in-kwuh-ree ]

noun

plural inquiries.
  1. a seeking or request for truth, information, or knowledge.

    Synonyms: , ,

  2. an investigation, as into an incident:

    a Congressional inquiry into the bribery charges.

  3. the act of inquiring or of seeking information by questioning; interrogation.
  4. a question; query.

    Antonyms: ,



inquiry

/ ɪˈɲɪəɪ /

noun

  1. a request for information; a question
  2. an investigation, esp a formal one conducted into a matter of public concern by a body constituted for that purpose by a government, local authority, or other organization
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Other Word Forms

  • i·ܾy noun plural reinquiries
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of inquiry1

First recorded in 1400–50; inquire + -y 3; replacing late Middle English enquery
Discover More

Synonym Study

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

When Banijay launched an inquiry, Wallace said his "world tumbled in".

From

Andrew Sarega, the attorney who was hired to oversee the city’s inquiry, said Huntington Park police investigators looked into Castillo’s residency months before she filed her grievance.

From

It had also undertaken house-to-house inquiries at nearby properties and taken statements from witnesses.

From

The family of Ms Caldwell previously called for a judge from outside Scotland to chair the public inquiry.

From

A grand jury inquiry into whether charges should be brought against Aimee’s kidnappers — but which actually served to challenge her tale — was conducted publicly.

From

Advertisement

Discover More

Inquiry Vs. Enquiry

's the difference between inquiry Իenquiry?

Inquiry and enquiry have the same meanings: a question, an investigation, a request for information, or the process of seeking information. Enquiry is a less common variant of inquiry.

Their verb forms—inquire and enquire—also mean the same thing: to ask, to seek information, or to investigate.

Both inquiry and enquiry are somewhat formal, especially compared to similar terms like question or investigation. Some speakers of British English may use both words, preferring inquiry in contexts that are more formal. In the U.S., enquiry is rarely used.

Here’s an example of inquiry used correctly in a sentence.

Example: I forwarded you an email with an inquiry about the open position.

Enquiry could be used in this sentence in the same exact way.

Most of these same distinctions apply to the verbs inquire and enquire.

To learn more about them, read the full breakdown of the difference between inquire and enquire.

Quiz yourself on inquiry Իenquiry!

True or False?

Inquiry and enquiry have the same meaning.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


inquiringinquisition