inquisitive
adjective
in·quis·i·tive
in-ˈkwi-zə-tiv 
1
: given to examination or investigation
2
: inclined to ask questions
especially
: inordinately or improperly curious about the affairs of others
inquisitively
adverb
inquisitiveness
noun
Examples of inquisitive in a Sentence
… but now, with the wanderings of the fleets and their inquisitive occupants producing words from all over, the English vocabulary was enhanced not merely by the usual suspects but by words from India and Turkey, Arabia and Malaya, Japan and the native peoples of North America …
—
Simon Winchester, The Meaning of Everything, 2003
It's partly because humans are naturally inquisitive and exploratory but also, and more significant, because we need the unknown, what historians of religion call "otherness," to lend our lives significance.
—David Nicholson-Lord, Nation, 6 Oct. 1997
Inquisitive eyes reveal the dingo's true nature—it's a hunter, from its cocked ears and powerful jaws to the white tip of its tail.
—Mitch Reardon, Australian Geographic, July–September 1992
an inquisitive woman who tends to everybody's business but her own
Simon Winchester, The Meaning of Everything, 2003
It's partly because humans are naturally inquisitive and exploratory but also, and more significant, because we need the unknown, what historians of religion call "otherness," to lend our lives significance.
—David Nicholson-Lord, Nation, 6 Oct. 1997
Inquisitive eyes reveal the dingo's true nature—it's a hunter, from its cocked ears and powerful jaws to the white tip of its tail.
—Mitch Reardon, Australian Geographic, July–September 1992
an inquisitive woman who tends to everybody's business but her own
Recent Examples on the Web
Disney’s live-action film has become so fraught with controversy that the premiere on March 15 will be scaled back and exclude pesky, inquisitive press from the red carpet.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
Cats, known for their mischievous and inquisitive nature, often develop peculiar habits, and this particular feline's nightly ritual has resonated with audiences.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025
Zhao told me that Wang was overly inquisitive about the things the democracy activists were doing that had no connection to the foundation.
—Brian Nishii Tanya Pérez Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Fried made a similar first impression on Aaron Boone, Matt Blake and the Yankees’ front office over the offseason, exciting them with his inquisitive nature during a free agency Zoom call.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inquisitive
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Tom Smyth, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
Cats, known for their mischievous and inquisitive nature, often develop peculiar habits, and this particular feline's nightly ritual has resonated with audiences.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025
Zhao told me that Wang was overly inquisitive about the things the democracy activists were doing that had no connection to the foundation.
—Brian Nishii Tanya Pérez Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Fried made a similar first impression on Aaron Boone, Matt Blake and the Yankees’ front office over the offseason, exciting them with his inquisitive nature during a free agency Zoom call.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inquisitive
Cite this Entry
“Inquisitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inquisitive. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inquisitive
adjective
in·quis·i·tive
in-ˈkwiz-ət-iv
1
: tending to inquire or investigate
2
: asking many questions
especially
: too curious about other people's affairs
inquisitively
adverb
inquisitiveness
noun
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