Synonym Chooser

How is the word adjure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of adjure are beg, beseech, entreat, implore, importune, and supplicate. While all these words mean "to ask urgently," adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

When can beg be used instead of adjure?

The synonyms beg and adjure are sometimes interchangeable, but beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

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

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 adjure?

While in some cases nearly identical to adjure, entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

Where would importune be a reasonable alternative to adjure?

The words importune and adjure can be used in similar contexts, but importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

When would supplicate be a good substitute for adjure?

While the synonyms supplicate and adjure 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 adjure Despite the song’s topic, the music is joyful, light, as Carlito adjures Maya in Lingala, the language of Kinshasa and its environs: Listen to a voice calling you in the middle of the night. Nicolas Niarchos, The New Yorker, 26 June 2019 And Congress is adjured by the Fourteenth Amendment to enforce it against the states. WSJ, 25 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjure
Verb
  • Brown’s 1962 how-to guide for modern single women to dominate both in relationships and at the office was radical in one way, advising women to cherish being single rather than seeing it as a sign of their deficiency.
    Alice Bolin June 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
  • The final decision about Iran's response will be made by Khamenei; the parliament's vote to close the strait merely advises him of the option to pursue.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Before doing anything else, inspect the inside of the grill for any grease build-up, Carothers instructs.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025
  • Under modern judicial deference doctrines, courts have been instructed not to interpret the law, but to accept how agencies interpret it.
    Jon Riches, Oc Register, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Conventional wisdom has long warned business leaders against straying from your core.
    Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Klum announces new rules, while Garcia warns of one contestant’s attitude.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Roley's grandfather, Dale Roley, told the New York Times on Monday that the suspect was working for a tree company and had expressed interest in becoming a forest firefighter.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 1 July 2025
  • The suspect has been identified as Wess Roley, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Monday.
    Rebecca Boone, Chicago Tribune, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • But some have raised safety concerns, highlighting that bans could prevent students from contacting family members during an emergency, and argue that promoting healthier device use could better teach children to manage their screen time.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
  • Prior to receiving any money, all participants will go through a series of eight financial literacy classes that will teach skills like budgeting, investing, and long-term financial planning.
    P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Saturday’s strikes raised immediate questions about the extent of the U.S. involvement in the Middle East and about Trump’s authority to order the bombings without congressional approval.
    Brett Samuels, The Hill, 22 June 2025
  • Mahmoud Khalil greeted friends and spoke briefly to reporters Saturday at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey a day after a judge ordered his release from a federal immigration facility in Louisiana.
    Holly Ramer, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • Its employees also have access to counseling apps and platforms: fitness benefits include Peloton, Wellhub and One Pass, and mental health resources include Talkspace, Brain.fm and Togetherall.
    Aman Kidwai, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
  • Veteran defense attorney Avraham Moskowitz, who reps Merchant, said the jail and ICE are interfering with and refusing to acknowledge the ICE detainees’ right to counsel.
    Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • After discussing the options with attorneys for both sides, Judge Arun Subramanian asked the jury to keep deliberating on the remaining charge, which is what prosecutors and defense attorneys asked for. Court then ended for the day.
    July 1, CBS News, 1 July 2025
  • The drama wasn't over after the final vote -- Murkowski appeared exasperated when asked about Paul's criticism over her vote and what deals Alaska might have benefitted from.
    Isabella Murray, ABC News, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Adjure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjure. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

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