please

verb

\ ˈplēz

pleased; pleasing

Definition of please

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to afford or give pleasure or satisfaction

2 : like, wish do as you please

3 archaic : to have the kindness will you please to enter the carriage— Charles Dickens

transitive verb

1 : to give pleasure to : gratify

2 : to be the will or pleasure of may it please Your Majesty

please

adverb

Definition of please (Entry 2 of 2)

1 —used as a function word to express politeness or emphasis in a request please come in

2 —used as a function word to express polite affirmation like some tea? Please

3 —used as a function word to express scornful disagreement, disapproval, or disbelief you believe that? Oh, please

Other Words from please Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about please

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Synonyms & Antonyms for please

Synonyms: Verb

agree (with), content, delight, feast, gas [slang], glad [archaic], gladden, gratify, pleasure, rejoice, satisfy, suit, warm

Antonyms: Verb

displease

Examples of please in a Sentence

Verb

He joined the football team to please his father. Her parents were pleased by her decision. It pleases me to know that you liked the gift. They're very hard to please.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

As the pair meets in the middle to please the boss, little do Rachel and Luke realize love lurks in all the unexpected places because this isn’t the Great White Way. — Dan Snierson, EW.com, "Hallmark Channel to air Christmas at Dollywood with Danica McKellar and, yes, Dolly Parton," 10 July 2019 Trump, at least, appears to have been pleased by the parade. — Tara Law, Time, "Russian State-Run Media Mocked President Trump's July 4 'Salute to America'," 6 July 2019 He had been sold on the private school’s academic mission, and wanted to please his mom, who thought the church might be beneficial to him. — Jeff Truesdell, PEOPLE.com, "Church 'Cult' Survivor Says He Was Beaten Because He Was Gay: 'I Was Scared For My Life'," 2 July 2019 And keep an eye out for metro Detroit's own Patch Darragh as a young, still green Sean Hannity, eager to please Ailes by turning up the bloviating. — Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, "Showtime's 'Loudest Voice' falls short by giving Roger Ailes too much of a bully pulpit," 28 June 2019 Forrest Gump is dark enough to please a Pulp Fiction fan, as indeed it pleased Pulp Fiction’s creator. — Kyle Smith, National Review, "Everyone Is Wrong about Forrest Gump," 25 June 2019 Assertive, top-down leadership on diversity is—by its very nature—unlikely to please everyone. — Claire Zillman, Fortune, "Sallie Krawcheck Wants CEOs to 'Break the Wheel' to Solve the Diversity Crisis," 20 June 2019 Conversely, Parker embraced the rituals that Johnson sneered at, as if he were programmed to please. — Elena Nicolaou, refinery29.com, "Luke Parker Is The New Chad Johnson — But Even Worse," 20 June 2019 Indeed, with his nonchalant display of wit, poise, and indifference that aimed to astonish rather than to please, Brummell created not only the modern concept of individuality but celebrity. — Ignacio Peyró, National Geographic, "This 19th-century London dandy caused a style revolution," 18 June 2019

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