SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
inquisitive
adjective
Eager to investigate, learn, or ask questions.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Eager to find out
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topInquisitive can praise curiosity; nosy criticizes intrusive interest in other people's private affairs.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See inquisitive in use
The inquisitive visitor wanted to know how every clock worked.
The following week, Mira found the atmosphere more congenial because people greeted one another and made room for questions. Her inquisitive tablemate wanted to understand why the instructor used one folding sequence rather than another.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license