enquire

10 synonyms for enquire, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To ask someone for information about something.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

ask seek investigate wonder examine

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

query inquire probe

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

request information look into

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To ask someone for information about something.

“She rang to enquire about the vacancy.”

ask query request information seek investigate wonder inquire

2. verb formal

To investigate something formally, usually as part of an official examination of what happened.

“A committee was appointed to enquire into the causes of the collapse.”

investigate look into probe examine

How to use enquire

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

enquire about enquire into enquire after please enquire within

Slightly formal; in everyday British speech people usually just say ask.

Etymology

From Old French enquerre, from Latin inquirere "to seek into", from in- and quaerere "to seek".

Full origin of enquire →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between enquire and inquire?

In British usage many writers reserve enquire for ordinary asking and inquire for formal investigations, as in a public inquiry. American English uses inquire for both, and British style guides increasingly accept the two spellings as interchangeable.

Which preposition follows enquire?

Use "about" for asking after information, "after" for asking about someone's health, and "into" for a formal investigation: enquire about the price, enquire after your mother, enquire into the accident.

Is enquiry or inquiry correct?

Both are correct nouns and follow the same split. British writers tend to write an enquiry at a shop counter but a public inquiry into a disaster; Americans write inquiry throughout.

People also searched

ask wonder seek examine investigate probe query inquire look into

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of enquire