inquisition

n. a long period of difficult or unfair questioning, often where you feel you are being attacked.

n. a rigorous, intensive, or prolonged interrogation, often perceived as violating the subject's rights or privacy.

“I felt like I was facing an inquisition when my parents asked where I had been all night.”

“The CEO faced a grueling inquisition from the board of directors regarding the sudden decline in quarterly profits.”

Informal

n. a historical court of the Catholic Church that was used to find and punish people who did not follow official religious rules.

n. A tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church established to investigate and suppress heresy.

“Students learned about the Spanish Inquisition and its impact on European history.”

“The historical records of the Inquisition provide a detailed, if harrowing, look at the legal procedures used against suspected heretics.”

Formal

n. a formal search for the truth or a detailed study of a specific problem.

n. A formal inquiry or investigation into a specific matter, often of a legal or official nature.

“The government started an inquisition into the causes of the housing crisis.”

“The committee's inquisition into the environmental disaster lasted for three years before a final report was issued.”

Formal · Technical