# questioning

Pronunciation: say "KWESH-tuh-ning" /ˈkwɛʃ.tə.nɪŋ/

## Verb

1. Present participle and gerund of question. — present participle and gerund of question
   - Simple: Present participle of question. Use this form for the ongoing act of asking someone about something.
   - _Detectives were questioning several people in connection with the theft._
   - _Voters began questioning whether the promises would ever be kept._

## Noun

2. The action of asking questions, such as in a survey or formal inquiry.
   - Simple: The act of asking questions to learn facts or get information.
   - _Their questioning of local residents formed the basis of the report._
   - _The committee's questioning aimed to gather facts about the incident._
4. The act of challenging, wondering about, and doubting something.
   - Simple: The act of doubting or challenging something instead of just accepting it.
   - _His questioning of long-held beliefs made some colleagues uncomfortable._
   - _Open questioning of authority is central to a healthy democracy._
5. Formal interrogation, as conducted by police or other officials.
   - Simple: Asking someone a lot of questions in a formal way, often by police.
   - _The witness underwent several hours of questioning at the station._
   - _He requested a lawyer before any further questioning began._

## Adjective

3. Marked by inquisitiveness, doubt, or wonder; quizzical.
   - Simple: Showing that you have questions, doubts, or a wish to know more.
   - _She shot him a questioning glance across the table._
   - _His questioning tone suggested he didn't quite believe the story._
6. Still exploring and unsure of one's own sexual orientation or gender identity.
   - Simple: Not yet sure about your own sexual orientation or gender identity.
   - _The support group welcomes gay, lesbian, and questioning teens._
   - _She described herself as questioning throughout her early twenties._

## Origin

Formed from "question" plus the suffix "-ing," appearing as a noun in Middle English as "questionyng."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/questioning (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).