Inquisitive

adj.thoughtful, hopefulwarm

What it means

Eager to ask questions and understand unfamiliar things.

Reach for it when praising a person's active curiosity and desire to learn

The inquisitive trainee asked what each reading meant before copying it down.

playful
wide-eyed
fresh wonder and openness give the praise its charm
not when It can imply naivety and is unsuitable for formal evaluation.
everyday
curious
natural interest and a wish to know more are enough
not when Curious can also mean strange and may describe passive interest.
warm
eager to learn
a clear, encouraging phrase is better than a formal adjective
not when It says nothing about the quality or depth of the questions.
professional
exploratory
the activity deliberately investigates possibilities before deciding
not when It describes an approach more naturally than a person's enduring character.
professional
intellectually curious
a resume or recommendation should stress interest in ideas and knowledge
not when The phrase is too academic for practical curiosity about people or tools.
professional
questioning
the person actively tests assumptions rather than accepting them
not when Questioning can sound skeptical or challenging instead of warmly curious.
formal
investigative
systematic fact-finding is the important behavior
not when Investigative describes disciplined inquiry, not spontaneous delight in learning.
formal
probing
questions deliberately seek deeper causes or hidden detail
not when Probing may feel intrusive when personal boundaries matter.

inquisitive mind
Her inquisitive mind connected the broken tiles with an old drainage map.
inquisitive child
The inquisitive child wanted to know why every shell had a different pattern.
naturally inquisitive
Naturally inquisitive, he read the maintenance log before proposing a repair.

Inquisitive also has a disapproving sense meaning overly curious or intrusive, so positive use needs a clear learning context.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.