beg

verb

\ ˈbeg

begged; begging

Definition of beg

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to ask for as a charity (see charity sense 1a) begging food from strangers begged him for some change

2a : to ask earnestly for : entreat beg forgiveness I beg your pardon.

b : to require as necessary or appropriate a scene that begged to be photographed

3 : evade, sidestep begged the real problems

intransitive verb

1 : to ask for alms children begging on the streets

2 : to ask earnestly begged for mercy

beg the question

1 : to elicit a question logically as a reaction or response the quarterback's injury begs the question of who will start in his place

2 : to pass over or ignore a question by assuming it to be established or settled

beg

abbreviation

Definition of beg (Entry 2 of 2)

begin; beginning

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about beg

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Choose the Right Synonym for beg

Verb

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 beg in a Sentence

Verb

A homeless man begs on that corner every day. children begging strangers for food children begging food from strangers He begged the doctor for medicine. She begged him to read the story again. He begged that she would forgive him. begging a favor of someone He's too proud to beg. “Does your dog know any tricks?” “She knows how to beg.”

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The peace deal’s supporters are begging him to show up. — The Economist, "The disappearance of Jesús Santrich threatens Colombia’s peace deal," 4 July 2019 Other hospital operators across the region reported similar losses, which begs a simple question: Why can’t the county simply pay enough to cover costs? — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Hospitals lose money caring for mental health patients; is there a better way?," 1 July 2019 Domestic-violence cases everywhere So many people who knew Linda begged her to leave. — USA Today, "Alaska is considered the deadliest state for women. A staggering 59% of women there have experienced violence.," 25 June 2019 Instead, Grossman appealed directly to Khrushchev, begging him to release his novel. — Aaron Lake Smith, Harper's magazine, "The Trials of Vasily Grossman," 24 June 2019 The tournament was a guinea pig to a new penalty rule introduced at the beginning of this month which begs the question: is it the officials or the way VAR and a new law has been introduced at this major tournament? — Aimee Lewis, CNN, "Women's World Cup: Referees and VAR under the microscope after dramatic weekend in France," 23 June 2019 At a time when online activism is heavily embedded in our daily lives, fashion brands have been increasingly capitalizing on female empowerment, which begs the question: Can fashion ever be a true statement of an intersectional feminist ethos? — Sara Radin, Teen Vogue, "How The Wing Has Created a Retail Environment That Actually Helps Women," 21 Mar. 2019 With no local law enforcement available, the woman begged Williams to call state troopers and send them to her house. — USA Today, "A deadly place: Alaska is the most dangerous state for women, now they're fighting back," 25 June 2019 Even the Prince of Wales begged to bring the detective back to life. — Margaret Gray, latimes.com, "Review: In ‘Mysterious Circumstances’ at the Geffen, the case of the Sherlock superfan," 21 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'beg.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.