INTERROGATION

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does interrogation mean? 

• INTERROGATION (noun)
  The noun INTERROGATION has 4 senses:

1. a sentence of inquiry that asks for a reply

2. a transmission that will trigger an answering transmission from a transponder

3. formal systematic questioning

4. an instance of questioning

  Familiarity information: INTERROGATION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INTERROGATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A sentence of inquiry that asks for a reply

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

interrogation; interrogative; interrogative sentence; question

Context example:

he had trouble phrasing his interrogations

Hypernyms ("interrogation" is a kind of...):

sentence (a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "interrogation"):

cross-question (a question asked in cross-examination)

leading question (a question phrased in such a way as to suggest the desired answer; a lawyer may ask leading questions on cross-examination)

yes-no question (a question that can be answered by yes or no)

Derivation:

interrogate (pose a series of questions to)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A transmission that will trigger an answering transmission from a transponder

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("interrogation" is a kind of...):

transmission (communication by means of transmitted signals)

Derivation:

interrogate (transmit (a signal) for setting off an appropriate response, as in telecommunication)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Formal systematic questioning

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

examination; interrogation; interrogatory

Hypernyms ("interrogation" is a kind of...):

inquiring; questioning (a request for information)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "interrogation"):

catechism (a series of question put to an individual (such as a political candidate) to elicit their views)

deposition ((law) a pretrial interrogation of a witness; usually conducted in a lawyer's office)

inquisition (a severe interrogation (often violating the rights or privacy of individuals))

third degree (interrogation often accompanied by torture to extort information or a confession)

cross-examination ((law) close questioning of a hostile witness in a court of law to discredit or throw a new light on the testimony already provided in direct examination)

direct examination ((law) the initial questioning of a witness by the party that called the witness)

redirect examination; reexamination ((law) questioning of a witness by the party that called the witness after that witness has been subject to cross-examination)

interview (the questioning of a person (or a conversation in which information is elicited); often conducted by journalists)

debriefing (report of a mission or task)

Derivation:

interrogate (pose a series of questions to)

Sense 4

Meaning:

An instance of questioning

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

enquiry; inquiry; interrogation; query; question

Context example:

we made inquiries of all those who were present

Hypernyms ("interrogation" is a kind of...):

inquiring; questioning (a request for information)

Derivation:

interrogate (pose a series of questions to)

 Context examples 

His wife looked alarm and interrogation.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

What kind of a brain lay behind there? was his insistent interrogation.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)