as in prayerful
asking humbly
a beseeching letter from his parents asking him to bring the grandchildren for a long overdue visit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in pleading
Related Words
as in begging
to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner
parishioners ardently beseeched the local bishop not to close their beloved church
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 beseeching
Howard Blum, Washington Post, 26 June 2024
The same beseeching gaze gets complicated by a character like Dre—at once naïve and ruthless, in control yet entirely lost.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2023
Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
This case has seen lot of what amounts to table-pounding by the defense, with a constant rat-a-tat-tat of motions, demands for discovery, followed by more beseeching requests.
—Howard Blum, Washington Post, 26 June 2024
The same beseeching gaze gets complicated by a character like Dre—at once naïve and ruthless, in control yet entirely lost.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2023
Noun
Prayer is a basic practice of almost all religions, and what is prayer if not a beseeching of a synchronicity from God?
—Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
Almost every time there’s a close call the player comes up twirling his finger, beseeching his coach to ask for a review.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beseeching
Adjective
-
The Sagrada Família was founded as an expiatory church, meaning that it would be financed by prayerful donations from people atoning for their sins.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Pärt’s formulas, born out of long, prayerful periods with sacred texts, offer beauty in the warmth and friction of relationships: melody and tintinnabuli, word and the limits of language, sounds and silence.—
Jeffers Engelhardt,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The supporters group, the KC Cauldron, is highly vocal, penning letters in the past pleading for the team to return to its trophy-winning glory of the 2010s.—
PJ Green
April 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
-
In pleadings, lawyers for the state have insisted the Justice Department has no business telling the state how to care for Florida’s children.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Blue Jays have been begging for a spark for the last six games, anything to reignite an offence and bring home a win.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
From the colorful pattern to the movement of her blouse, every inch of Hudson's outfit is begging to be worn during a breezy brunch outside with friends.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The judge granted Nancy's petition and gave Nancy possession of the house.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images An online petition to urge Philz to keep the Pride flags up was circulated and immediately tallied thousands of signatures.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hulu and Moss’ camps were recently notified about the TV Academy’s approval decision after petitioning.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The court will also hear arguments from a handful of news outlets petitioning to unseal the warrant that allowed the Sheriff’s Office to seize ballots.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Other Democrats have been more cautious in their approach to similar entreaties.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Sununu’s dad served as governor, as did his brother Chris, who refused entreaties to run in the party’s Senate races.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Like the appeals made by women during the antiquity to midwife goddesses, prayer and supplication were ways to affirm intentions for healthy pregnancies, calm labors, and living children.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Under Jordan’s steely command, deep house, disco, and UK garage all bend in supplication to the almighty groove.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
But Old Trafford’s direct imploring of him to stay beyond the end of the current season should leave them in no doubt.—
Mark Critchley,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beseeching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beseeching. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
