asked
ˈas(k)t 
ˈäs(k)t,
ˈask;
dialectal ˈakst
; asking
1
2
a
: to make a request of
She asked her teacher for help.
b
: to make a request for
She asked help from her teacher.
3
: to call for : require
a challenge that will ask much of us
4
: to set as a price
asked $3000 for the car
5
: invite
She asked a few friends to the party.
asker
noun
chiefly British, informal
: something asked for, requested, or required of someone
—used especially in phrases like a big ask and a tough ask to say that what is being asked for or hoped for is difficult or unlikely
It's a big ask, I think, demanding audiences recall a plot from two years ago, and while normally I don't mind a big ask … this particular ask utterly defeated me.—
Deborah Ross
Deborah Ross
Phrases
ask for it
informal
: to behave in a way that invites punishment or retribution
Experts used to think that battered women were "asking for it"—somehow masochistically provoking abuse from their men. Mercifully, that idea has now been discredited.—Michele Ingrassia
Michele Ingrassia
informal
: to behave in a way that is likely to result in trouble
… you are asking for trouble if you try to lift too much weight …—Douglas Jeffrey
Douglas Jeffrey
Synonyms
Examples of ask in a Sentence
Verb
I need to ask a question.
Did you ask her yet?
“Have you seen the movie yet?” he asked.
a list of frequently asked questions
“If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?” “I'm 35 years old. Why do you ask?”
“Do they have any soda?” “I don't know. I'll go ask.”
I would have given it to him, but he never asked.
We had to stop and ask directions.
May I ask the time?
Did you ask permission to leave?
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Recent Examples on the WebMesfin Fekadu, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Dec. 2023
DeSantis, according to a Newsom aide, also had a teleprompter that showed questions Hannity would be asking.
—Aaron Navarro, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2023
The reality of the day began to set in once Keller was on a train back to his hotel -- when a father and son sat near him and the son asked the Olympian for a photograph with him, prosecutors said.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 1 Dec. 2023
The private dispute exploded with public headlines earlier this month after Hall asked a judge to step in on Nov. 16 and issue a temporary restraining order halting the sale.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 30 Nov. 2023
The media legal advocacy organization has also asked a federal court in Pennsylvania to unseal the FBI affidavit used to justify seizing Perry’s phone.
—Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2023
But when asked about those reasons, participants did not score them very highly at all.
—Christian B. Miller, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
When asked about this, the Israel Prison Service did not respond.
—David Noriega, NBC News, 30 Nov. 2023
Local people asked me to make something to encourage young people.
—Simon Abrams, The New Yorker, 19 Nov. 2023
Juan A. Ramírez, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023
The ask came on top of more than $15 billion in federal aid doled out to live entertainment venues in 2021.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
Admittedly, this is a tough ask, given that Black entrepreneurs receive less than 2 percent of venture capital dollars every year.
—WIRED, 16 Nov. 2023
The more specific the ask, the more precise the results.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 12 Nov. 2023
But Allen knows that hosting Thanksgiving will be a bigger ask than cooking himself meals on a daily basis.
—Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 3 Nov. 2023
No, a hiking partner who shares your enthusiasm for fine dining is not an impossible ask.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Oct. 2023
With road games at USC and Oregon State and a potential rematch with Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game, that’s too big of an ask.
—J. Brady McCollough, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2023
Of course, with the ongoing actors’ strike, that’s a big ask.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2023
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Verb
When she’s asked about the lack of female producers in music, Marks has some theories.
—Mesfin Fekadu, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Dec. 2023
DeSantis, according to a Newsom aide, also had a teleprompter that showed questions Hannity would be asking.
—Aaron Navarro, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2023
The reality of the day began to set in once Keller was on a train back to his hotel -- when a father and son sat near him and the son asked the Olympian for a photograph with him, prosecutors said.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 1 Dec. 2023
The private dispute exploded with public headlines earlier this month after Hall asked a judge to step in on Nov. 16 and issue a temporary restraining order halting the sale.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 30 Nov. 2023
The media legal advocacy organization has also asked a federal court in Pennsylvania to unseal the FBI affidavit used to justify seizing Perry’s phone.
—Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2023
But when asked about those reasons, participants did not score them very highly at all.
—Christian B. Miller, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
When asked about this, the Israel Prison Service did not respond.
—David Noriega, NBC News, 30 Nov. 2023
Local people asked me to make something to encourage young people.
—Simon Abrams, The New Yorker, 19 Nov. 2023
Noun
The ask, at its core, is coming from a place of having to build up the confidence to do this work.
—Juan A. Ramírez, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023
The ask came on top of more than $15 billion in federal aid doled out to live entertainment venues in 2021.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
Admittedly, this is a tough ask, given that Black entrepreneurs receive less than 2 percent of venture capital dollars every year.
—WIRED, 16 Nov. 2023
The more specific the ask, the more precise the results.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 12 Nov. 2023
But Allen knows that hosting Thanksgiving will be a bigger ask than cooking himself meals on a daily basis.
—Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 3 Nov. 2023
No, a hiking partner who shares your enthusiasm for fine dining is not an impossible ask.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Oct. 2023
With road games at USC and Oregon State and a potential rematch with Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game, that’s too big of an ask.
—J. Brady McCollough, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2023
Of course, with the ongoing actors’ strike, that’s a big ask.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ask.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Old English āscian; akin to Old High German eiscōn to ask, Lithuanian ieškoti to seek, Sanskrit icchati he seeks
Noun
noun derivative of ask entry 1
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of ask was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing ask
Dictionary Entries Near ask
Cite this Entry
“Ask.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ask. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
1
: to seek information : inquire
asked about our trip
2
a
: to make a request
ask for help
b
: to make a request to
ask your teacher to help you
3
: to set as a price : demand
asked $20 for the bicycle
4
: invite entry 1 sense 2a
asked friends to a party
5
: to behave as if looking
asking for trouble
asker
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on ask
Nglish: Translation of ask for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of ask for Arabic Speakers
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