Definition of begnext

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 Nanos was also criticized for attending a University of Arizona basketball game on February 7, the same day Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, Annie and Camron, shared a video begging for their mom’s return. Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 3 Mar. 2026 An Oak Lawn man is begging for the safe return of his rare and expensive pets, who were stolen from his home more than a month ago. Tara Molina, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026 Trunks, roots, and branches dot the sand, creating an ethereal landscape that begs for its photo to be taken. Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026 Savannah Guthrie also posted another video about the $1 million reward, begging for someone to come forward. Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beg
Verb
  • In addition to petitioning to be represented by a special assistant attorney general, DiZoglio also sought more time to file in opposition to Campbell’s motion to strike.
    State House News Service, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Advocates for women’s sports have spent decades trying to petition legacy platforms to invest more in this space.
    Haley Rosen, Sportico.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Minear replies coyly when asked a question that assumes Dixie and Buck went home together.
    Patrick Gomez, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Don’t let anyone stop you from asking questions, but do pay attention to the answers.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Seeing the wall police breached to give people inside the club a chance to get out, or the bathrooms and dressing rooms where people hid, prayed for survival or reached out to family and friends carries an impact that spells out this nation’s terrifying vulnerability to gun violence.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Hall County School District Superintendent Will Schofield said the district was heartbroken over Hughes’ death and praying for his family.
    Austin Mullen, NBC news, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • At halftime, Grams implored his team to step on the gas, stop shooting 3s and penetrate the ball into the paint.
    Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The event boiled down to Trump imploring members of Congress to pass the SCORE Act, or legislation based on it.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In the original sci-fi novel, Victor Frankenstein is beseeched by his creation to create a companion, but after being plagued by visions of what this second attempt may bring (namely the breeding of additional monsters), the scientist destroys the companion before it is brought to life.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2026
  • As Clare Malone reported for The New Yorker, Woodward beseeched Bezos to intercede.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Beg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beg. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

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