What's the difference between inquisitive and quizzical?

Inquisitive


Definition:

  • (a.) Disposed to ask questions, especially in matters which do not concern the inquirer.
  • (a.) Given to examination, investigation, or research; searching; curious.
  • (n.) A person who is inquisitive; one curious in research.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Fifa 15 is on the way; Dragon Age Inquisition and Hardline too.
  • (2) At the same time, it is important for our enjoyment of Bake Off that the insouciance does not go all the way (the inquisitive camera, for example, captures Ian’s set jaw, betraying his iron will).
  • (3) There’s also Birdsong, an e-commerce platform selling high-quality products made by women’s charities – and Curiosity Club, an education venture which wants to cultivate an inquisitive nature and passion for learning in children from less privileged socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • (4) • Gather inquisitive and reflective people around you.
  • (5) But in the media storm that followed it was not the inflammatory preachers but the programme-makers who found themselves subject to an inquisition.
  • (6) It puts you into an inquisitive, exploratory frame of mind.
  • (7) James Murdoch and the Guardian article in 2009 Ofcom again raps Murdoch for not being more inquisitive, as it believes a responsible chief executive faced with serious allegations should have done.
  • (8) He remains available for the occasional newspaper interview with a friendly proprietor and, at conference time, finds time for a 20-minute breakfast inquisition.
  • (9) A lot of students thought of this as a new inquisition, a witch hunt,” Deleon recalls.
  • (10) Clinical pathology officially began when inquisitive physicians in the nineteenth century sought explanations for the diseases they observed in their patients.
  • (11) The prosecution played the inquisition; the judge played its enthusiastic helper; the defence attorneys played the fool; and only the defendants themselves played it straight, giving pointed political speeches at the end of their ridiculous ordeal.
  • (12) Then maybe you might even avoid being called by the Inquisition for an 'assessment' of whether you have the Devil's mark or a third nipple or any other sign that you are a heretical 'scrounger'.
  • (13) "Nobody expected the Spanish Inquisition" says Palin, ever the showman.
  • (14) He went to Spain, where he served as personal physician to Emperor Charles V. After almost 20 years in Spain, he became involved in an unfortunate incident that incurred the condemnation of the Inquisition.
  • (15) But once the barriers come down, they can be warm, helpful and, eventually, very inquisitive.
  • (16) He is the American cardinal who marched in San Francisco protesting against gay marriage and was accused of turning a blind eye to paedophile priests before he took over the Vatican's doctrinal office, the modern version of the Inquisition.
  • (17) Galileo spent the latter part of his life under house arrest courtesy of the Vatican's inquisition for his heresy in insisting the Earth revolved around the sun.
  • (18) So perhaps it's less about being a woman and more about being (I hope) an inquisitive journalist, who funnily enough likes talking to people, asking questions and listening to the answers.
  • (19) Monitoring how these are promoted in individual schools must be done with common sense and sensitivity.” Examining the DfE’s response to the affair, the report said there was a proven “ lack of inquisitiveness ” within the department prior to the Trojan horse letter, which could be partially explained by the general level of awareness of such issues at that time.
  • (20) It's a civilising voice and it makes us inquisitive.

Quizzical


Definition:

  • (a.) Relating to quizzing: given to quizzing; of the nature of a quiz; farcical; sportive.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Judges, reviewing cases for release, have looked quizzical when the patients' active participation in a "law course" has been used as evidence of satisfactory progress.
  • (2) Although Tennant is best-known in the wider world for his quicksilver portrayal of the tenth Timelord in Doctor Who – and more recently, a quizzical detective in ITV's doomy thriller Broadchurch – his theatrical pedigree is impressive.
  • (3) Tom was unsuited to the home-improvement periodicals for which he wrote in the late 70s, but in 1980 his droll and quizzical reviews began to appear in New Music News, an underground rock weekly launched by Felix Dennis to fill the vacuum left by the strike-bound NME and Melody Maker.
  • (4) When I come into class with mud-caked hands I get some quizzical looks but things become clearer as we are learning to read and write instructions.
  • (5) To discern and anatomise the meaning of Englishness, you need outsiders, with their quizzical perspectives.
  • (6) Boris Johnson: how he has flip-flopped over Russia and Syria Read more “Instead we had the Boris circus-show: lots of table thumping beforehand about how he was going to deliver sanctions (‘Boris is no poodle,’ his spin doctors briefed, a little hysterically), followed by that familiar quizzical expression at the post-summit photocall when he had delivered precisely nothing.
  • (7) When the minister for the natural environment and fisheries, Richard Benyon , last week posted a picture on Facebook of himself bravely pulling up a ragwort plant while being watched by a quizzical cow, he probably thought the image of a true countryman being tough on weeds would go down well with the voters.
  • (8) Emerson, like other respectable citizens of Concord, was sceptical of enterprise so personal and quizzical, confiding to his journal that "Thoreau wants a little ambition in his mixture ...
  • (9) Referencing was operationalized as looks directed toward the mother following a look to the rabbit, accompanied by quizzical facial or vocal expressions.
  • (10) She nods, raises a quizzical eyebrow and stomps off.
  • (11) Emma Payne, headteacher at St Mary Redcliffe primary in Bristol , is gazing quizzically at a wooden shed that stands just behind her school kitchen.
  • (12) He shrugs, and on his face is the sort of slightly quizzical expression that Uncle Bryn might use when confronted with the limitless mysteries of the universe.
  • (13) Outside her native Australia, Gina Rinehart's name is likely to be met with quizzical looks – but all that could be about to change, because the 57-year-old from Western Australia is on track to become the world's richest woman.
  • (14) repeated a quizzical Finn and a couple from Texas, rolling the name around their mouths like that of a particularly obscure Qin dynasty philosopher.
  • (15) More quizzically, there are a couple of cushions on a sofa bearing images of fluffy "Westies" – West Highland terriers like her first dog Buddy.
  • (16) His quizzical style made him a good interrogator; if a subject said something stupid he would simply repeat it deadpan, perhaps raising an eyebrow.
  • (17) A porcelain model of a laughing pig is staked quizzically on a poll by the drive.
  • (18) The trailer for the film – featuring only quizzical grunts and alarmed cries from Paddington rather than Firth's drily plummy tones – was recently released, and features the bear fresh from darkest Peru trying to understand bathrooms and the London Underground system.
  • (19) He was wonderfully quick-witted, funny, several steps ahead in exact and ironic understanding of any matter being talked about; but he was equally and happily prone to a dawdling, quizzical slowness.
  • (20) It is a theatrically cluttered space full of her varied knickknacks, including cushions embroidered with images of her beloved dogs , a DVD of a BBC docudrama on Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor and, quizzically, a book titled The Married Kama Sutra.