While an inquiry can be almost any search for truth, the related word inquisition suggests a long, thorough investigation that involves extensive and harsh questioning. Though the two words originally had about the same meaning, today inquisition tends to remind us of the Spanish Inquisition, an ongoing trial conducted by church-appointed inquisitors that began in the Middle Ages and sought out nonbelievers, Jews, and Muslims, thousands of whom were sentenced to torture and to burning at the stake.
His political enemies were conducting an inquisition into the details of his personal life. there's no need to conduct an inquisition about so trivial a matter
Recent Examples on the WebApparently, any failure to comply will subject an adolescent to a frightening inquisition. Rick Esenberg And Luke Berg, WSJ, 23 May 2022 But there’s a real passion for, uh, fashion, in terms of inquisition, analysis, and sourcing reference material. Rachel Tashjian, Harper's BAZAAR, 6 July 2022 More broadly, the hyperactivity of today’s news cycle, the explosion of media outlets and the fleeting attention span of voters have changed the nature of politics and lessened the impact of an event like Jackson’s inquisition. Mark Z. Barabakcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2022 Our right to travel is sacred, even if airport security and border control may feel a bit like an inquisition. James Harbeck, The Week, 5 Mar. 2022 At this second inquisition, my daughter lost her temper.cleveland, 27 Jan. 2022 At this second inquisition, my daughter lost her temper. Annie Lane, oregonlive, 27 Jan. 2022 This brand of evidence-free scaremongering was entirely in line with the McCarthy inquisition. Chris Lehmann, The New Republic, 23 Nov. 2021 Any offseason inquisition into what has gone wrong on this offense, what has been done wrong and what needs changed must start here. Zach Osterman, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Nov. 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English inquisicioun, from Anglo-French inquisition, from Latin inquisition-, inquisitio, from inquirere