interrogation

/ɪnˈtɛrəˌgeɪʃən/

/ɪnˈtɛrəgeɪʃən/

Other forms: interrogations

An interrogation is a question or an intense questioning session. Police do interrogations of suspects all the time.

Have you ever heard someone say, "What is this? An interrogation?" People say that when they feel like they're being questioned a little too much. An interrogation can mean a single question or a series of questions. Police stations usually have interrogation rooms for questioning suspects. When someone is doing an interrogation, they're looking for answers, and it's usually about something very serious.

Definitions of interrogation

1. noun

   an instance of questioning
   synonyms: enquiry, inquiry, query, question

   type of:

   inquiring, questioning

   a request for information
2. noun

   formal systematic questioning
   synonyms: examination, interrogatory

   types:

   catechism

   a series of questions put to an individual 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

   employment interview, job interview

   an interview to determine whether an applicant is suitable for a position of employment

   telephone interview

   an interview conducted over the telephone

   type of:

   inquiring, questioning

   a request for information
3. noun

   a sentence of inquiry that asks for a reply
   “he had trouble phrasing his interrogations”

   synonyms: interrogative, interrogative sentence, question

   types:

   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

   type of:

   sentence

   a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language
4. noun

   a transmission that will trigger an answering transmission from a transponder
   type of:

   transmission

   communication by means of transmitted signals