beseech

Synonym Chooser

How is the word beseech distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of beseech are adjure, beg, entreat, implore, importune, and supplicate. While all these words mean "to ask urgently," beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

I beseech you to have mercy
implored her not to leave him

In what contexts can adjure take the place of beseech?

While in some cases nearly identical to beseech, adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

When is beg a more appropriate choice than beseech?

The words beg and beseech are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

When is it sensible to use entreat instead of beseech?

The meanings of entreat and beseech largely overlap; however, entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

When could importune be used to replace beseech?

Although the words importune and beseech have much in common, importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

Where would supplicate be a reasonable alternative to beseech?

In some situations, the words supplicate and beseech are roughly equivalent. However, 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 beseech Thomas is a newlywed whose wife, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), beseeches him not to go, but the ambitious young man nonetheless heads off to the Carpathians, leaving her in the care of his friend Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024 Dylan has his guitar, naturally, and Seeger beseeches him to play something for Guthrie. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 23 Dec. 2024 Eyes abound, actually, staring out from the stars and stripes as if beseeching its audience to bear witness to this unprecedented union. Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019 Travelers took to social media to complain about the disruption and beseech the airlines for help. Emma Bubola, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beseech
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beseech
Verb
  • Frazier then tried to subtly get the answer to the question fans have been begging to know — is Rihanna having a baby girl?
    Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 30 June 2025
  • Within a month, my friends were begging me for more.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Within a week after petitioning for divorce documents, Heard filed a domestic restraining order against her estranged husband on grounds of domestic abuse charges.
    Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
  • Some officers petitioned Waddell to stop at Cape Town in late September instead of proceeding on to Liverpool.
    Francine Uenuma, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Beseech.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beseech. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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