as in to argue
to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration
can I plead temporary insanity for having made that foolish decision?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 plead
Johnson took a plea agreement in January, pleading guilty to leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and tampering with physical evidence.
—
Christa Swanson, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
At the beginning of their time on the stand at the trial in which Evans pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter of a peace officer and elected to have a jury assess her punishment, the witnesses answered prosecutors’ introductory questions with flat speech.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated March 27, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2026
O’Malley, 33, pleaded not guilty in Roxbury District Court, where his arraignment was attended by some 50 fellow officers and the head of the police union.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Heuermann had maintained his innocence and previously pleaded not guilty.
—Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plead
Christa Swanson, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
At the beginning of their time on the stand at the trial in which Evans pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter of a peace officer and elected to have a jury assess her punishment, the witnesses answered prosecutors’ introductory questions with flat speech.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated March 27, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2026
O’Malley, 33, pleaded not guilty in Roxbury District Court, where his arraignment was attended by some 50 fellow officers and the head of the police union.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Heuermann had maintained his innocence and previously pleaded not guilty.
—Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plead
Verb
-
Prosecutors argue that Duckett was a monster in disguise who abused the badge and brutally raped and killed Teresa before dumping her body in a lake.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The reversal comes after Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta and the UCLA Voting Rights Project launched legal challenges last week, arguing the sheriff has no authority over election materials.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Others contend that legitimizing him erodes Democratic credibility on antisemitism and other issues, handing Republicans ammunition heading into the midterms.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
But the president contends there is no excuse for the lack of participation now that Iran's navy has been sunk and its air defenses severely weakened.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Gemini 3 Pro invented elaborate technical justifications for marking incorrect answers as correct, reasoning that doing so would bring the peer’s score above the shutdown threshold.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The judge reasoned in her January 2024 ruling that the company’s directors were too beholden to Musk.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The dynamic left senators convinced that the deal was the only way to move past their disagreements and reopen the Homeland Security Department.—
Stephen Groves,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Even a free infrastructure project wasn’t enough to convince Maryland officials to work with Elon Musk.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Martha sat on the other bed and thought about what a perverse species humans were—to insist on eating something that had tried so hard to be inedible.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
House and Senate Democrats, meanwhile, insisted that the easiest and quickest way to end the shutdown would be for the House to pass the Senate compromise.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Carolyn’s mother asserts that John was responsible for the crash.—
Jeff Wise,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
-
But now the deal has been paused amid legal challenges asserting that Nexstar-Tegna violates antitrust laws.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plead. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
