Synonym Chooser

How is the word adjure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of adjure are beg, beseech, entreat, implore, importune, and supplicate. While all these words mean "to ask urgently," adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

When can beg be used instead of adjure?

The synonyms beg and adjure are sometimes interchangeable, but beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

How are the words beseech and implore related as synonyms of adjure?

Both beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

I beseech you to have mercy
implored her not to leave him

In what contexts can entreat take the place of adjure?

While in some cases nearly identical to adjure, entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

Where would importune be a reasonable alternative to adjure?

The words importune and adjure can be used in similar contexts, but importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

When would supplicate be a good substitute for adjure?

While the synonyms supplicate and adjure are close in meaning, supplicate suggests a posture of humility.

with bowed heads they supplicated their Lord

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of adjure Despite the song’s topic, the music is joyful, light, as Carlito adjures Maya in Lingala, the language of Kinshasa and its environs: Listen to a voice calling you in the middle of the night. Nicolas Niarchos, The New Yorker, 26 June 2019 And Congress is adjured by the Fourteenth Amendment to enforce it against the states. WSJ, 25 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjure
Verb
  • The Consumer Product Safety Commission advises that children do not use fireworks, including sparklers.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 July 2025
  • The Context Diogo Jose Teixeira da Silva, who went by Diogo Jota, and his brother André died on Thursday while driving from Spain to England after a doctor advised them not to fly after Jota received minor lung surgery.
    Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Protesters were instructed to disperse before agents deployed what appeared to be tear-gas canisters and flash-bangs into the crowd, eventually breaking up the mob.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 11 July 2025
  • Shoppers are instructed to return the product to any Walmart store for a full refund.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • The data echoes concerns raised by AI companies OpenAI and Anthropic in recent months, both of which have warned that today’s AI tools are reaching the ability to meaningfully assist bad actors attempting to create bioweapons.
    Billy Perrigo, Time, 1 July 2025
  • The Senate package would roll back billions of dollars in green energy tax credits, which Democrats warn will wipe out wind and solar investments nationwide.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Apple is telling users that the old HomeKit architecture will soon stop working entirely and, crucially, some users will be upgraded automatically.
    Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Roley's grandfather, Dale Roley, told the New York Times on Monday that the suspect was working for a tree company and had expressed interest in becoming a forest firefighter.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • These days, Brewington is loving her work with Literacy KC, teaching adult learners to read.
    Mará Rose Williams July 9, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2025
  • Unschooled children who need to pick up difficult-to-learn skills need to be taught stamina and commitment by their parents, rather than focusing on their happiness or satisfaction in the short term.
    Taylor Grothe, Parents, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Some of those claims were dismissed by a judge in 2024, but the lawsuit was still ordered to move forward; in June, however, Lizzo filed an appeal aimed at shutting it down for good on the grounds that the dancers’ claims clashed with her First Amendment rights.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 July 2025
  • The company has been ordering fireworks a year in advance, Marietta said.
    Tim Hrenchir, USA Today, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Veteran defense attorney Avraham Moskowitz, who reps Merchant, said the jail and ICE are interfering with and refusing to acknowledge the ICE detainees’ right to counsel.
    Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 27 June 2025
  • Its employees also have access to counseling apps and platforms: fitness benefits include Peloton, Wellhub and One Pass, and mental health resources include Talkspace, Brain.fm and Togetherall.
    Aman Kidwai, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • In a recent interview, when Variety asked Taylor Frankie Paul, the show’s central figure, whether Affleck is back in #MomTok, Paul struck a welcoming note.
    Kate Aurthur, Variety, 1 July 2025
  • The drama wasn't over after the final vote -- Murkowski appeared exasperated when asked about Paul's criticism over her vote and what deals Alaska might have benefitted from.
    Isabella Murray, ABC News, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Adjure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjure. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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