Synonym Chooser

How is the word beg distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of beg are adjure, beseech, entreat, implore, importune, and supplicate. While all these words mean "to ask urgently," beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

Where would adjure be a reasonable alternative to beg?

Although the words adjure and beg have much in common, adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

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

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 beg?

The synonyms entreat and beg are sometimes interchangeable, but entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

When is it sensible to use importune instead of beg?

In some situations, the words importune and beg are roughly equivalent. However, importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

When might supplicate be a better fit than beg?

While the synonyms supplicate and beg 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 beg Tea begs him to surrender, warning him that PET plans to imprison both he and Ashley, which will leave Sofia without either parent. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025 Extreme and specific in its intent, the 458 Speciale begged the question as to whether most drivers could avail themselves of its capabilities. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2025 During any campaign season, voters and nonvoters alike are inundated with ads and text messages and emails begging for money for a political cause or candidate. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025 Further proof of concept in Year 2 for Mike Elko, who continues to beg anyone who will listen to stop focusing on the past and start looking to the future. Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beg
Verb
  • Judges also review arbitration awards with a high degree of deference, meaning the side that loses the arbitration is often disincentivized to petition a judge to vacate the award.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The discovery showcases the diversity of life that exists in a place experiencing rapid climate change — which is why scientists are petitioning for the Weddell Sea’s fragile ecosystem to be protected by law.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • There was no picture of Krasznahorkai anywhere and somebody came up to him and asked why?
    Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Hall, a first-term Republican from Rudy, has asked a judge to seal filings in the case.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Please pray for the pilots, crew and everyone affected.
    Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
  • McEntire, who's praying for Parton's speedy recovery, hasn't spoken to her fellow country music legend since putting up the video.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • City council candidate Adrian Austin had his own megaphone and implored those in the parking lot for their vote.
    Tanya Wildt, Freep.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • With the issue resolved, Casparis implored those who hadn’t voted yet in the special election to do so.
    Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • That didn’t mollify Pleasant View neighbors, like Nancy Pate, who attended that August meeting and beseeched the commissioners not to sign off on housing at the Glo Park site.
    John Aguilar, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
  • One of its products, a stablecoin, owes its value to Binance, whose co-founder Changpeng Zhao is beseeching Trump to pardon him after a money laundering conviction.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beg. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on beg

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!