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 But when demons threaten to destroy the City of Immortals, her former lord Indra begs her to return—or else lose both Kaushika and her identity as an apsara. Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026 Some fans are crying their eyes violet over their disappointment, while others are begging critics to get a grip. Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2026 Your child may beg you to tie their shoes, fix a broken toy, or fluff their pillow. Gail Cornwall, Parents, 1 Apr. 2026 When workshopping the material, however, Psalmayene 24 could feel Lewis’s life begging for a melodic treatment and pivoted to a musical. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beg
Verb
  • Harvey’s City Council voted unanimously to petition the state for relief under the law at a special meeting in October 2025.
    Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Environmental groups and a handful of governors have recently petitioned the EPA to add microplastics to the forthcoming version of the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, or UCMR, which the agency recently submitted to the White House.
    Will Stone, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Ali, who wasn’t formally charged, called his family to say that he would be released on bail, and asked them to gather the funds and collect him from prison.
    Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The Manteca Fire Department is taking action and trying to get ahead of this fire season by asking residents to reduce fire danger or face fines.
    Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The number of Jews allowed to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem has been limited to 50 a day, while Muslims have been completely barred from accessing Al Aqsa Mosque since the war started in late February, including the entire holy month of Ramadan.
    Tim Lister, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Missile debris also hit a road leading to the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • More than 100 airport leaders on Monday implored Congress in a letter to end a funding standoff that has forced 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers to go unpaid and has led to massive security lines.
    Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Thus, Tommy’s sister, Ada (Sophie Rundle), and Kaulo Chiriklo (Rebecca Ferguson), the twin sister of Duke’s mother, separately implore Tommy to save his son and Gypsy people by extension.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Ever since, Pritzker has pointed to that defeat when Welch and others beseech him to try again.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Beg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beg. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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