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

Stephen Jones, the hat maker who created more than 150 headpieces for the show’s mannequins, would beg to differ. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "Master Milliner Stephen Jones Created Over-the-Top Toppers for “Camp: Notes on Fashion”," 9 May 2019 And in a country where people beg for insulin on Craigslist, she, a lifelong activist for social justice, would have been disgusted an event with a $30,000 per person ticket, and by the obscene sums attendees spend on clothes and jewelry. — Benjamin Moser, Town & Country, "Why Susan Sontag Would Have Hated a Camp-Themed Met Gala," 5 May 2019 For 25 years, countless people have come to the U.N. climate conferences begging our world leaders to stop emissions, and clearly that has not worked as emissions are continuing to rise. — Emily Bloch, Teen Vogue, "16-Year-Old Climate-Strike Leader Greta Thunberg Has Been Nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize," 14 Mar. 2019 With Easter Sunday falling in the spring, the holiday is basically begging you to make a fresh, festive dessert for the special occasion. — Beth Lipton, Country Living, "Orange-Chamomile Cake," 8 Mar. 2019 The duchess begged her dad to stop their public feud and called him out for his inappropriate behavior. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Meghan Markle and Her Dad: A Timeline of Their Rocky Relationship," 6 Mar. 2019 Do not beg for someone who doesn't want to be with you. — Amanda Mitchell, Marie Claire, "'The Bachelor' Recap: The Fence, It Hath Been Jumped," 5 Mar. 2019 When your body is begging for hydration, the need can manifest in various signs of dryness, including dry mouth, chapped lips, dry skin, and a lack of tears. — Amy Marturana, SELF, "Here’s Exactly How Much Water You Should Drink Every Day," 2 Jan. 2019 The film’s account of history is begging to be picked apart by those who study the era. — Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, "The 9 Oscar contenders coming out in December," 3 Dec. 2018

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.