interrogate

/ɪnˈterəɡeɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈterəɡeɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈter-ə-ˌgāt -ˈte-rə-/ (ame, mw)

interrogate — verb

  • interrogatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • interrogateshe / she / it
  • interrogatedpast simple
  • interrogating-ing form

1. to question someone again and again in a tightly controlled or forceful way so t

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to question someone again and again in a tightly controlled or forceful way so that facts, secrets, or an admission come out.

例句

Detectives interrogated Saira for three hours after the jewelry shop robbery.

interrogate + person + for + time

At the border, officers interrogated the driver about the false passport.

interrogate + person + about + detail

同義詞
  • question

    broader and more neutral, without the same pressure

  • grill

    more informal and strongly suggests aggressive questioning

  • probe

    stresses trying to uncover hidden facts

文法句型

interrogate + person + about + event/detail

be interrogated for + period of time

用法筆記

Often appears in police, military, or security contexts and can suggest pressure or aggression. Distinguish from sense 3, where the target is usually an idea, document, or claim rather than a person.

常見錯誤

❌The police interrogated to the suspect all night.
✅The police interrogated the suspect all night.
💡'interrogate' takes a direct object, not 'to'.

2. to send a request to a computer or device and receive the data that it returns.

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to send a request to a computer or device and receive the data that it returns.

例句

The analyst interrogated the database for hotel bookings made after midnight.

interrogate + database + for + data

Our app interrogates the sensor every minute to check the room temperature.

interrogate + sensor

同義詞
  • query

    common computing term, especially for databases

  • poll

    often repeated at fixed times to check for changes

  • read

    broader and less technical about extracting information

文法句型

interrogate + database/system/device + for + data

interrogate + server/sensor/drive

用法筆記

Usually followed by the system or device being queried, often with 'for' plus the kind of data wanted. Unlike sense 1, the object is a machine, not a person.

常見錯誤

❌The script interrogated from the server.
✅The script interrogated the server.
💡this sense normally takes the system directly as its object.

3. to examine an idea, record, or claim by asking searching questions and testing w

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

to examine an idea, record, or claim by asking searching questions and testing what it really shows.

例句

The documentary interrogates old news reports to test the official story.

interrogate + reports to test a story

In class, Professor Chen interrogated the survey results before accepting the conclusion.

interrogate + results before accepting conclusion

同義詞
  • examine

    broader and calmer, without the same pressure from questioning

  • probe

    stresses digging beneath the surface for hidden problems

  • challenge

    focuses more on refusing to accept an idea as true

反義詞
  • accept

    take an idea or claim as true without testing it closely

文法句型

interrogate + claim/assumption/evidence

interrogate + how/why-clause

用法筆記

Common in academic, journalistic, and critical writing. It suggests testing whether an idea or piece of evidence can stand up to hard questions, not simply describing it.

常見錯誤

❌The article interrogated about housing policy.
✅The article interrogated housing policy.
💡this sense usually takes the issue itself as a direct object.