pleading 1 of 3

Definition of pleadingnext
as in prayerful
asking humbly a pleading husband seeking forgiveness once again from his long-suffering wife

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

pleading

2 of 3

noun

as in plea
an earnest request coldhearted tourists pointedly ignoring the pleadings of the city's many street urchins

Synonyms & Similar Words

pleading

3 of 3

verb

present participle of plead

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 pleading
Noun
Her transfer comes after days of pleading by her family and others who described her condition as critical. ABC News, 10 May 2026 Jain said Jackson has not been formally served with any pleadings, and his representatives were never contacted by Mayers' team over the suit. Irene Wright, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Verb
Loughlin served two months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, while Giannulli was sentenced to five months after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and one count of honest services wire and mail fraud. Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026 He was also sentenced to life imprisonment in Missouri after pleading guilty to five counts of murder. Alexa Newsom, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pleading
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleading
Adjective
  • That’s the prayerful explanation for the nonsense that spouted this week from the leaders of a football conference that hopes to grow up and be the Big Ten someday.
    Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 29 May 2026
  • The Sagrada Família was founded as an expiatory church, meaning that it would be financed by prayerful donations from people atoning for their sins.
    D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • While not commenting directly on a report indicating that Nancy Guthrie had died, the Today co-anchor tearfully repeated her plea for anyone with information to come forward.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 23 June 2026
  • Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie on Tuesday opened up about a note reportedly sent to the media in February regarding the missing Nancy Guthrie by issuing another plea for answers around her mother’s disappearance.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, officials are pausing data center development for one year, with vocal neighbors arguing that the risk posed by a controversial project outweigh the threat of litigation.
    Conor Wight, CBS News, 27 June 2026
  • President Donald Trump‘s first-term Attorney General Bill Barr is making an aggressive public push for Senate Republicans to confirm Todd Blanche as the nation’s next attorney general, arguing the president’s acting Justice Department chief is the best person to lead the department.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • Violators can be punished with fines up to $500 and three months in jail under one anti-begging law and with fines starting at up to $100 and 10 days in jail under a law against soliciting contributions from people in cars.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • For some at-home converts, knowing exactly what is in their polish, and being able to choose alternatives, is part of the appeal.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026
  • First came a federal court settlement requiring 1,200 units to be built (about half are now completed), then a second lawsuit resulted in an order to add 2,500 more, a ruling now under appeal.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Agents maintain context across extended, multi-turn sessions — histories, long documents, chains of reasoning that compound with every interaction.
    David Noy, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • Vitello seemed to understand Devers’ reasoning for wanting to stay in the game but also knew that Devers was battling some leg soreness.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • In a separate Facebook post on Monday, Mason Motocross asked for prayers for the boy's family.
    Michael Guise, CBS News, 23 June 2026
  • Eyes closed and head bowed during prayer.
    Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Critics also have challenged the report’s characterization of cases involving women, contending these were consensual affairs that were sinful but not abusive.
    ABC News, ABC News, 25 June 2026
  • In the special, Arcuri tackles topics like marital pranks and urinal mind games while contending, on the more serious side, with his wife Katie Thurston’s cancer journey.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pleading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleading. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on pleading

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster