interrogate
in-TAIR-uh-gayt
/ɪnˈtɛrəɡeɪt/
To question a suspect or witness thoroughly, formally, or rigorously.
Carries a strong tone of intensity and formal legal structure compared to simple questioning.
The story behind the word. Interrogate comes from Latin 'inter-' (between) and 'rogare' (to ask). In Roman legal procedure, it described the formal back-and-forth questioning between a magistrate and a witness.
Word relationships
- question: Question is neutral, whereas interrogate implies intense, formal examination.
- grill: Grill is informal slang, whereas interrogate is formal legal language.
- answer: To reply to inquiries rather than systematically asking them.
Commonly confused with
- interview: An interview is typically cooperative; an interrogation is formal, probing, and often adversarial.
Word family
- interrogation (noun): The process of questioning someone formally and thoroughly
- interrogator (noun): A person who conducts an interrogation
- interrogative (adjective): Conveying or forming a question
Collocations
- interrogate a suspect
- interrogate thoroughly
- interrogate witnesses
- interrogation room
Example sentences
- "Detectives spent hours in the interrogation room trying to interrogate the primary suspect." Police investigation
- "Scholars must interrogate the underlying assumptions of historic legal frameworks." Academic analysis
Memory hook
INTER-rogating is asking questions BETWEEN two parties intensely. Rigorous formal questioning.
When not to use
Do not use for casual everyday conversations or friendly job interviews.
Fun facts
- The grammatical term 'interrogative sentence' comes from the exact same Latin root 'rogare' (to ask).
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