Especially indicating a form of prosecution in which proceedings are secret and the accused is questioned by a prosecutor who acts also as the judge.

Roget 455: curious, inquisitive, burning with curiosity, overcurious; inquiring etc. 461; prying, snoopy, nosy, peering; prurient; inquisitorial, inquisitory^†; curious as a cat; agape etc. (expectant) 507.    ... show more

Roget 461: inquiry etc. v.; inquisitive etc. (curious) 455; requisitive^†, requisitory^†; catechetical^†, inquisitorial, analytic; in search of, in quest of; on the lookout for, interrogative, zetetic^†; all searching.    undetermined, untried, undecided; in question, in dispute, in issue, in course of inquiry; under discussion, under consideration, under investigation etc. n.; sub judice [Lat.], moot, proposed; doubtful etc. (uncertain) 475.    ... show more

Roget 739: severe; strict, hard, harsh, dour, rigid, stiff, stern, rigorous, uncompromising, exacting, exigent, exigeant^†, inexorable, inflexible, obdurate, austere, hard-headed, hard-nosed, hard-shell [U.S.], relentless, Spartan, Draconian, stringent, strait-laced, searching, unsparing, iron-handed, peremptory, absolute, positive, arbitrary, imperative; coercive etc. 744; tyrannical, extortionate, grinding, withering, oppressive, inquisitorial; inclement etc. (ruthless) 914.1; cruel etc. (malevolent) 907; haughty, arrogant etc. 885; precisian^†.    ... show more

Roget 965: executive, administrative, municipal; inquisitorial, causidical^†; judicatory^†, judiciary, judicial; juridical.   

Marked by inquisitive interest; especially suggestive of an ecclesiastical inquisitor.

Having the authority to conduct official investigations.