make a query

USAGE SUMMARY

"make a query" is a valid and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to refer to asking a question or presenting a request for information. For example: "I had to make a query to the HR department in order to get the correct paperwork."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Then Google introduced the ability to use voice to make a query.

The New York Times

If the United States was looking for the communications of a terrorism suspect, he said, "it needs to be such that when you make a query you come away confident that you have the whole answer".

The New York Times

Step 1 The analyst can make a query to the database through this intermediary privacy guard.

Journal of Big Data

Users with no specific training can quickly learn how to make a query and produce a useful result.

Journal of Cheminformatics

For example, you can make a query for all companies within 5 miles of London that have been acquired since 2004.

TechCrunch

The P A metric corresponds to the probability that the application will make a query about a given monitored process and that the reply is correct, in the sense that it reflects the real state of the monitored process.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

If a user makes a query that has no Mahalo results, they are given Google results instead.

TechCrunch

Because the fix involves making a query to a cluster of databases, that cluster was quickly overwhelmed by hundreds of thousands of queries a second.

TechCrunch

When an Android user makes a query through Google Assistant, Google will provide a more interactive visual experience on the phone.

TechCrunch

When a user makes a query for someone's location, or when he arrives at, or leaves from any location, these events must be recorded by the system with the goal of applying policies to them; for example, "the administrator can know my location if I am in a dangerous place for more than one hour".

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

When the NSA makes a "query" on a call, it can secure metadata like the length of the conversation and to whom the call it was placed.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "make a query" when you want to describe the specific interaction between a user and a database or search engine. It is especially effective in technical documentation and reporting where the distinction between a human question and a system request is important.

Common error

Avoid using "make a query" when you are describing a deep investigation or a philosophical search for truth. In those cases, use "conduct an inquiry" or "pose a question" to avoid sounding overly clinical or tech-focused.

Linguistic Context

In linguistic terms, "make a query" is a verb phrase consisting of the light verb "make" and the noun phrase "a query". This structure is known as a delexical verb construction, where the primary meaning is carried by the noun rather than the verb. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is perfectly valid and is frequently used to denote the act of initiating a search or inquiry.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "make a query" is a precise and professional phrase primarily used in technical and journalistic writing to describe the act of searching for information. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical validity and highlights its prevalence in contexts involving data retrieval, search engines, and official inquiries. While synonymous with "run a query" in tech circles, it retains a slightly more formal tone that makes it suitable for broad audiences. Writers should use it when they want to emphasize the formal step of initiating a request for data rather than the informal act of asking a question.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

run a query

Uses more technical terminology common in data science and software development.

perform a query

Emphasizes the formal action or procedure of searching a database.

submit a query

Suggests sending a formal request through a digital interface or system.

execute a query

Implies a technical command being processed by a database engine.

input a query

Highlights the manual entry of specific terms into a search field.

raise a query

Focuses on bringing a doubt or question to attention in administrative settings.

conduct a search

Describes the broader investigative process rather than just the interaction.

request information

Focuses on the desired outcome of the inquiry rather than the method.

ask a question

Provides a more human-centric and less technical way to express the idea.

initiate an inquiry

Sounds significantly more formal and suggests a structured investigation.

FAQs

How do I use "make a query" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe searching for data, such as: "The software allows users to "make a query" to the central database in real time."

What can I say instead of "make a query"?

Depending on the context, you can use technical terms like "run a query" or more general terms like "perform a search".

Is "make a query" correct or "do a query"?

While both might be understood, ""make a query"" is generally more professional and idiomatic than "do a query" in written English.

What is the difference between "make a query" and "ask a question"?

Typically, to "make a query" implies a technical or formal request for data from a system, whereas to "ask a question" is a more personal interaction between individuals.