Synonym Chooser

How is the word beg distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of beg are adjure, beseech, entreat, implore, importune, and supplicate. While all these words mean "to ask urgently," beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

Where would adjure be a reasonable alternative to beg?

Although the words adjure and beg have much in common, adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

How are the words beseech and implore related as synonyms of beg?

Both beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

I beseech you to have mercy
implored her not to leave him

In what contexts can entreat take the place of beg?

The synonyms entreat and beg are sometimes interchangeable, but entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

When is it sensible to use importune instead of beg?

In some situations, the words importune and beg are roughly equivalent. However, importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

When might supplicate be a better fit than beg?

While the synonyms supplicate and beg are close in meaning, supplicate suggests a posture of humility.

with bowed heads they supplicated their Lord

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of beg When news of Israel’s surprise attack against Iran broke, Trump distanced himself from the operation, lamenting the violence and begging Iran to negotiate a deal before further destruction happened. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 24 June 2025 The yearbook staff had begged Mrs. Fish to meet that afternoon, as a 50-page deadline was approaching. Sally Ventura june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025 Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox snubbed him when picking the 1996 and ’97 National League reserves, and Sosa begged out of the ’98 game with a shoulder bruise after being selected as a reserve despite hitting 20 home runs in June. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2025 Orlov’s brutal playoff showing begs the question of whether or not this is the start of the end for him. Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for beg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beg
Verb
  • Some officers petitioned Waddell to stop at Cape Town in late September instead of proceeding on to Liverpool.
    Francine Uenuma, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 June 2025
  • Within a week after petitioning for divorce documents, Heard filed a domestic restraining order against her estranged husband on grounds of domestic abuse charges.
    Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • The discussions are at an early stage and may not lead to an offer, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private.
    Sara Braun, Fortune, 21 June 2025
  • However, Trump has delivered cryptic responses when asked exactly if and how the U.S. might get involved in the Middle Eastern conflict.
    Rebecca Schneid, Time, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • Stuart has been coming to the facility each day, not to protest but to pray.
    Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 28 June 2025
  • Setting out before sunrise, Zhou spent an hour scrambling to the top of a rocky peak, praying that the elusive brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus) would show.
    Skylar Knight, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Chisholm popped up and began to argue with the umpire that Sanchez had blocked the plate, as his teammates implored him from the dugout to touch home plate.
    Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 22 June 2025
  • Last month, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) raised concerns about HART and wrote a letter imploring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to take the urgent steps necessary to mitigate privacy risks.
    Acacia Gabriel, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • The quiet that followed Heiss’s departure had an almost beseeching quality, like a cat rubbing against Prima’s calves.
    Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 4 May 2025
  • That was most visible in 2008, when he was beseeched by corporate executives and the George W. Bush administration to help the global financial system from melting down.
    Michael J. de la Merced, New York Times, 4 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Beg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beg. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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