# interrogate

/ˌɪnˈtɛɹəˌɡeɪt/ (US) · /ɪntˈɛɹəɡˌeɪt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/interrogate
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

to ask someone many questions to get information. In computing, it means to ask a system or a program for details about its current state.

For teachers: to question someone closely or formally to obtain information. In a technical context, it refers to the act of querying a system or database to retrieve specific data or status details.

## Examples

- The police interrogated the suspect for several hours.
- The developer used a debugging tool to interrogate the server's memory to find the source of the error.
- By interrogating the system's logs, the security team was able to trace the unauthorized access back to a single compromised account within the network.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.