1
as in to seek
to make a request for
don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to woo
to act so as to make (something) more likely
you are asking for trouble if you invite her ex to the wedding
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to request
to give a request or demand for
the surgeon asked for the scalpel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ask (for)
Verb
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Bass and her campaign team have sought to highlight a list of accomplishments, including a steady decrease in homicides, a drop in street homelessness and her efforts to accelerate the construction of affordable housing.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026 -
The president has spent the past several months seeking to spotlight his efforts to lower drug prices for Americans.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nothing like it Eric Schickler, a political scientist at the University of California at Berkeley, points out that presidents more typically try to woo the places that voted against them.—
Ronald Brownstein,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
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And a whole succession of leaders from countries that are nominally still American allies — Britain, Germany, South Korea — are wooing rather than shunning Beijing to deepen economic cooperation.—
Andreas Kluth,
Twin Cities,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The lawyers had requested that the Justice Department website be temporarily shut down and that an independent monitor be appointed to ensure no further errors occurred.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
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Several media outlets reported receiving ransom notes, one of which requested several million dollars in bitcoin and threatened to kill Nancy Guthrie if the money wasn’t sent.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In 2018, Karp was invited for dinner with Epstein.—
MEG KINNARD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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Quiet Bedding Simple bedding in striking colors and inviting textures will star in 2026.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After more than a week at the Dilley center, the preschooler and his Ecuadorian father are back home in Minneapolis after a judge ordered them to be released.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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What sets Luckin apart has been its ability to build a robust pool of private user traffic through its smartphone ordering app, said Mingchao Xiao, founder of Zhimeng Trends Consulting.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ask (for).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ask%20%28for%29. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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