inquisitor
Relentless official examiner
An inquisitor is someone who conducts an inquisition—a formal, often aggressive investigation or interrogation.
The word carries overtones of relentless, probing questioning: My mother-in-law turned into an inquisitor the moment we walked in.
Historically, inquisitors were officials of the Catholic Inquisition who investigated heresy, lending the word associations of severity and zealous persecution.
Challenger of official doctrine
- tribunalJudicial decision-making body
- auto-da-féInquisition execution ritual
- TorquemadaNotorious Spanish religious enforcer
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
ecclesiastical · Dominican · confession · recantation · heresy · excommunication · papal · medieval
One who questions formally
- questionerOne who poses inquiries
- examinerOne who evaluates officially
- interviewerOne who poses questions
- cross-examinerOne who challenges testimony
prober · inquirer · prosecutor · investigator · detective · auditor · catechist · quizmaster
Continuing without pause
- doggedStubbornly persevering
- tenaciousStubbornly determined to continue
- determinedFirmly committed to purpose
- unwaveringSteady and unchanging
persistent · tireless · unrelenting · stubborn · persevering · insistent · resolute · indefatigable
Conveying threat or danger
- coerciveUsing pressure to compel
- domineeringAggressively asserting control
- sternStrict or ship's aft
- harshUnpleasantly severe or rough
imposing · authoritarian · overbearing · relentless · unyielding · ruthless · merciless · pitiless
One who disbelieves
- challengerOne competing against incumbent
- scrutinizerOne who examines closely
- skepticOne who doubts claims
- debunkerOne who disproves falsehoods
critical · probing · questioning · disbelieving · suspicious · unconvinced · analytical · discerning
heretic
Challenger of official doctrine
- tribunalJudicial decision-making body
- auto-da-féInquisition execution ritual
- TorquemadaNotorious Spanish religious enforcer
persecution · ecclesiastical · Dominican · confession · recantation · heresy · excommunication · papal · medieval · Catholic
interrogator
One who questions formally
- questionerOne who poses inquiries
- examinerOne who evaluates officially
- interviewerOne who poses questions
cross-examiner · prober · inquirer · prosecutor · investigator · detective · auditor · catechist · quizmaster · interlocutor
relentless
Continuing without pause
- doggedStubbornly persevering
- tenaciousStubbornly determined to continue
- determinedFirmly committed to purpose
unwavering · persistent · tireless · unrelenting · stubborn · persevering · insistent · resolute · indefatigable · steadfast
menacing
Conveying threat or danger
- coerciveUsing pressure to compel
- domineeringAggressively asserting control
- sternStrict or ship's aft
harsh · imposing · authoritarian · overbearing · relentless · unyielding · ruthless · merciless · pitiless · unsparing
doubter
One who disbelieves
- challengerOne competing against incumbent
- scrutinizerOne who examines closely
- skepticOne who doubts claims
debunker · critical · probing · questioning · disbelieving · suspicious · unconvinced · analytical · discerning · penetrating
- character classeswarrior, mage, rogue, cleric, paladin
- fictional clergyFather Brown, Friar Tuck, Ned Flanders, fallen priest, abbess
- historical officialspraetor, consul, censor, tribune, prefect
- Inquisitionheretic, heretics, heresy trial, auto-da-fe, heretical
- medieval clergypriest, monk, nun, bishop, abbot
- medieval justicetrial by combat, trial by ordeal, trial by fire, trial by jury, ordeal
inquisitorsubject
Matter under discussion
respondent · witness · accused · defendant · interviewee
inquisitorlistener
One who attends aurally
chatterbox · small-talker · confidant · gossip · bystander
- Spanish InquisitionChurch court hunting heretics
- Grand InquisitorHead of religious tribunal
- Roman InquisitionCatholic Church's heresy-hunting institution