# inquisition

/ˌɪnkwəˈzɪʃən/ (US) · /ˌɪnkwɪsˈɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/inquisition
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. harsh questioning

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

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

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Often used with the definite article 'the' to emphasize the intensity of the questioning.

### 2. historical religious court

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

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

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Usually capitalized as 'the Inquisition' when referring to the specific historical institution.

### 3. formal investigation

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

Usage: In modern legal contexts, 'inquiry' is significantly more common than 'inquisition'.

## Examples

- I felt like I was facing an inquisition after arriving home late.
- The journalist's interview turned into a hostile inquisition as she pressed the politician for details on the missing funds.
- While the historical Spanish Inquisition sought to enforce religious orthodoxy, the modern metaphorical use describes any aggressive interrogation that disregards the subject's right to privacy or defense.

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