What does queried mean?
Queried is the past tense and past participle of query, a verb meaning to ask for information or to express doubt about something. Its most common use is in reports of questions asked by journalists, researchers, investigators, or members of the public. A second, closely related sense occurs when someone queries a decision, explanation, or piece of evidence, indicating that they regard it as questionable or insufficiently justified. The word is neutral to formal and often appears in professional or analytical contexts. It is also useful in describing interactions with information systems, as when a researcher queries a database or a program queries a server. Although closely related to inquire, queried can carry a somewhat more scrutinizing implication because it can refer not only to requesting information but also to challenging the reliability of an assertion.
verbQueried is the past tense and past participle of query. It means asked for information about something or expressed doubt about its accuracy, validity, or legitimacy.
- Asked someone or something for information.
- Expressed doubt about the accuracy, validity, or legitimacy of something.
"The researcher queried several witnesses before publishing her findings."
"The journalist queried the minister about the unexplained expenditure."
"Several members of the committee queried the evidence presented by the investigators."
To query is ultimately to seek: the word descends from the Latin quaerere, the same root behind question and request.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does queried come from?
Queried ultimately derives from Latin quaerere, meaning “to seek” or “to ask,” through Old French querier and Middle English query. The modern English form was created by adding the regular past-tense and past-participle ending to query. The same Latin root also underlies cognates including question, request, inquire, and acquire.
Related word forms
How queried is actually used
Queried is neutral to formal in tone and is especially common in journalism, academic research, technical documentation, and formal discussion. In its second sense, it can imply that the speaker considers a claim or piece of evidence doubtful.
Easily confused with queried
Inquire is the base form and generally means to ask about or investigate something, whereas queried is the past form and may also mean to challenge the truth or validity of a claim.