solicitation

noun

so·​lic·​i·​ta·​tion sə-ˌli-sə-ˈtā-shən 

plural solicitations

1

formal : the practice or act or an instance of soliciting

email/telephone solicitations

Unauthorized solicitation is prohibited.

sometimes : an urgent or persistent request : entreaty, importunity

I laid the matter before him, but he was disinclined to attempt the unfamiliar task. The editors, however, renewed their solicitations.

—Adam Badeau †1895

2

formal : a quality or force that moves or draws : incitement, allurement

… a vigilance against the solicitations of dejection and despair.

—newyorker.com

Synonyms

• plea
• appeal
• prayer
• petition

Examples of solicitation in a Sentence

the mail is always full of solicitations from worthy causes

Recent Examples on the Web

The audit concluded that the district relied on a loophole to bypass a competitive bidding process, using an exemption that allows revenue-generating contracts under $50,000 to proceed without formal solicitation. —Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025

This happened years after Epstein was convicted of felony solicitation of prostitutes and procuring persons under 18 for prostitution. —Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 22 Sep. 2025

This site is not a recommendation nor an offer to sell (or solicitation of an offer to buy) securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. —Andrew Rosen, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

This material should not be construed as a recommendation, or advice or an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any investment. —Katie Stockton, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1520, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for solicitation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Legal Definition

solicitation

noun

so·​lic·​i·​ta·​tion sə-ˌli-sə-ˈtā-shən 

: an act or practice or an instance of soliciting

solicitation of a proxy for a shareholder vote

specifically : the crime of soliciting someone to commit a crime (as murder)