beseech

verb

be·​seech bi-ˈsēch 

bē-

beseeched or besought bi-ˈsȯt 

bē-

; beseeching

transitive verb

1

: to beg for urgently or anxiously

beseeched him to write while he was away

—R. W. Hatch

2

: to request earnestly : implore

besought their protection

intransitive verb

: to make supplication

Synonyms

• appeal (to)
• beg
• besiege
• conjure
• entreat
• impetrate
• implore
• importune
• petition
• plead (to)
• pray
• solicit
• supplicate

Choose the Right Synonym for beseech

beg, entreat, beseech, implore, supplicate, adjure, importune mean to ask urgently.

beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

I beseech you to have mercy

implored her not to leave him

supplicate suggests a posture of humility.

with bowed heads they supplicated their Lord

adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

Examples of beseech in a Sentence

parishioners ardently beseeched the local bishop not to close their beloved church

Recent Examples on the Web

Students from across the country had flooded Europe with telegrams, beseeching the Chinese delegation at Versailles to salvage the country’s pride and walk away. —Dan Xin Huang, Foreign Affairs, 3 May 2019

The prime minister was beseeched to conclude an accord at every turn. —Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 27 July 2024

Biden himself was present when the minister, choir and the congregation of Philadelphia’s Mount Airy Church of God in Christ shouted hallelujah and beseeched the good Lord to reinvigorate the president. —Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 July 2024

As a sideline, Saddam also beseeched God to save him because God owed him one. —Amatzia Baram, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2012

Word History

Etymology

Middle English besechen, from be- + sechen to seek

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

beseech

verb

be·​seech bi-ˈsēch 

besought -ˈsȯt  or beseeched; beseeching

: to ask earnestly for