interrogation

noun

in·​ter·​ro·​ga·​tion in-ˌter-ə-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce interrogation (audio)
plural interrogations
: the act of interrogating someone or something: such as
a
: a formal and systematic questioning
She conducted a skillful interrogation of the witness.
It was old-fashioned interrogation and eavesdropping that first led U.S. intelligence agents to the … plotters.Michael Isikoff
And during interrogation, instead of just listening for inconsistencies in what is said, agents are being taught to look for minute physical reactions on the faces of people being questioned.Ann Davis et al.
b
: the sending of an electronic signal intended to trigger a particular response from something (such as a transponder)
The airborne equipment measures the time between the interrogation and the return signal, and converts this time measurement into a mileage reading on our instrument panel, on either a dial or digital counter.Joseph W. Benkert
interrogational adjective

Examples of interrogation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Amid interrogations about production levels and stockpile health, Replicator promises to set the pace for cheap, fast, proliferated weapons. Colin Demarest, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024 In interrogation, the sisters might have remembered their father’s tactic: focus on a point in the wall and zone out. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024 Four remain under interrogation while one has been freed but remains a suspect. Freddie Clayton, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024 Archival film reels captured slices of the sugarcane industry in Java, first established by the Dutch and continuing under Suharto’s regime, coalescing into a kaleidoscopic and vertiginous rereading of the colonial past and an interrogation of historical specters. Hung Duong, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for interrogation 

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of interrogation was in 1534

Dictionary Entries Near interrogation

Cite this Entry

“Interrogation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interrogation. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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