questioned them for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "questioned them for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that someone was interrogated or asked questions for a specific reason or duration. Example: "The detective questioned them for several hours about their whereabouts on the night of the crime."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

He questioned them for 20 minutes.

The Guardian

She said a chaplain, also known as an auditor, questioned them for hours.

The New York Times

The detective picked up both men and questioned them for two days before he filed a technical charge of breach of the peace and returned them to state police headquarters for three more days of questioning.

The New York Times

Earlier this week security officials in Iran picked up two daughters of Mousavi, Zahra and Narges, and one of Karroubi's sons, Hossein, from their houses in Tehran and questioned them for several hours before releasing them.

The Guardian

The Irfan family did commend the FBI agents who questioned them for being professional and for clearing them of any wrongdoing.

Huffington Post

Better on torture; like most former prosecutors, understands how the professionals work conspiracy cases: "You know how I put hundreds of Mafia people in jail?... we arrested them, we got very significant charges on them, and we questioned them for long periods of time.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Western officials said the chief interest in finding the suspects was to question them for information about who directed the operation.

The New York Times

No one dares question them for fear of being thought a dove or a wimp.

The Guardian - Opinion

Meanwhile, Twitter users have (by and large) decided to ignore the questioned posed for them.

TechCrunch

The first features illustrations of 3D shapes followed by questions about them, for example: Does a sphere have any edges?

The Guardian

But Ms. Sills questioned the need for them.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "questioned them for" when specifying the duration of an interrogation or inquiry, providing context about how long someone was asked questions.

Common error

Ensure that "them" clearly refers to a specific group of people previously mentioned in the text to avoid confusion. If the reference is unclear, rephrase to explicitly state who was questioned.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "questioned them for" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of asking questions to a group of people over a specific period. Ludwig shows that it is often used in contexts involving investigations or formal inquiries.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

19%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "questioned them for" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase indicating that a group of individuals were interrogated or asked questions over a period. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. While its usage is uncommon, it is most frequently found in news and media contexts. Remember to ensure clear pronoun references when using this phrase and consider more formal or informal alternatives based on the context. Its function is to inform, and the register can be considered neutral.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

interrogated them for

Replaces "questioned" with a more formal term, suggesting a more intense or official inquiry.

interviewed them for

Suggests a formal conversation to gather information, often for a specific purpose.

quizzed them about

Implies a series of quick questions, potentially in an informal setting.

debriefed them on

Indicates gathering information after an event or mission, often in a structured manner.

examined them regarding

A more formal term for asking questions, often used in legal or official contexts.

probed them about

Suggests asking detailed questions in order to discover hidden or sensitive information.

cross-examined them on

Specifically refers to questioning a witness in a legal setting to verify or discredit their testimony.

inquired of them regarding

A formal and somewhat archaic way of saying "asked them about."

polled them on

Suggests conducting a survey to get their opinions or information.

canvassed them for

Implies systematically gathering information or opinions from a group of people.

FAQs

What does "questioned them for" mean?

The phrase "questioned them for" means to ask a group of people questions, typically in an official or investigative context, and it specifies the duration of the questioning. For example, "The police "interrogated them for" several hours" indicates the questioning lasted a specific amount of time.

What can I say instead of "questioned them for"?

You can use alternatives like "interviewed them for", ""interrogated them for"", or "quizzed them about" depending on the context and the nature of the questioning.

Is it formal to use "questioned them for"?

The phrase "questioned them for" is generally considered neutral in formality. More formal alternatives include ""interrogated them for"" or "examined them regarding", while more informal options could be "grilled them on".

How do I use "questioned them for" in a sentence?

Use "questioned them for" when you want to specify how long someone was subjected to questioning. For instance, "The investigators "questioned them for" three hours before releasing them" indicates the length of the inquiry.