implore

Synonym Chooser

How is the word implore distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of implore are adjure, beg, beseech, entreat, 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

When might adjure be a better fit than implore?

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

we were adjured to tell the truth

When is it sensible to use beg instead of implore?

The synonyms beg and implore are sometimes interchangeable, but beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

In what contexts can entreat take the place of implore?

In some situations, the words entreat and implore are roughly equivalent. However, entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

When would importune be a good substitute for implore?

While the synonyms importune and implore are close in meaning, importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

When is supplicate a more appropriate choice than implore?

The words supplicate and implore are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 implore Armour implored readers to be more like Biles than Gaines. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2025 The club condemned the chants and implored fans to stop. Greg Beacham, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025 Still, Armour implored readers to be more like Biles than Gaines. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2025 But the crowds at the events grew so large that migrants camped outside and fought for spots in line, leading Valencia to implore City Council for help at a budget hearing in October 2023. Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for implore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for implore
Verb
  • Orlov’s brutal playoff showing begs the question of whether or not this is the start of the end for him.
    Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 18 June 2025
  • Which begs the question, how many breaches have there been, and have any other third-party contractors aside from TaskUs been compromised?
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 18 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

“Implore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/implore. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on implore

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