What does "query" mean?
A question, an inquiry (US), an enquiry (UK).
Query
/ˈkwɪə.ɹi/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A question, an inquiry (US), an enquiry (UK).
- Grammar: query is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: inquiry, question, act of asking, ascertain.
- Useful contrasts: answer, conceal, empty results.
- Usage evidence: In the opening paragraphs I query the validity of so-called supply-side economic strategies.
How to use "query"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "query" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "query" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "query" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "query" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "query" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "inquiry" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "query", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A question, an inquiry (US), an enquiry (UK).
"The teacher answered the student’s query concerning biosynthesis."
- 2 an instance of questioning wordnet
- 3 A question mark.
"His Glossary has ‘bouchen, to stop people's mouths,’; but this is followed by a query, to show that it was but a guess. I have shown, from the MSS. and other sources, that it should be bonched, i.e. bunched, bumped, knocked, smote."
- 4 A set of instructions passed to a database.
"The database admin switched on query logging for debugging purposes."
- 5 Ellipsis of query letter. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
"Although many agents accept email queries, check to see if they prefer mailed query letters."
Verb
- 1 To ask a question. intransitive
- 2 pose a question wordnet
- 3 To ask, inquire. transitive
"It’s queried whether there be any Science in the ſenſe of the Dogmatiſts: […]"
- 4 To question or call into doubt. transitive
"The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen. No one queried it. It was in the classic pattern of human weakness, mean and embarrassing and sad."
- 5 To pass a set of instructions to a database to retrieve information from it.
"Linked tables can be accessed, queried, combined and reorganised much more flexibly and in a number of ways that may not be immediately predictable when the database is under construction."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To send a private message to (a user on IRC). Internet, transitive
"He parted the channel saying "SHUTUP!"... so I queried him, asking if there was something I could do.. maybe talk..."
- 7 To send out a query letter. intransitive
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"In the opening paragraphs I query the validity of so-called supply-side economic strategies."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "query"?
Common synonyms include: inquiry, question, act of asking, ascertain, ask, ask.
How do you use "query" in a sentence?
In the opening paragraphs I query the validity of so-called supply-side economic strategies.
How do you pronounce "query"?
Pronounced /ˈkwɪə.ɹi/.
Etymology
An anglicisation of quere, an obsolete variant form of Latin quaere, second-person singular present active imperative of quaerō (“seek, look for; ask”). Cognate with French quérir, Italian chiedere, Portuguese querer, Romanian cere, and Spanish querer. Compare question.