enquire
8 synonyms and 0 antonyms 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.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
To ask someone for information about something.
“She rang to enquire about the vacancy.”
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.”
How to Use Enquire
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
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.