1
as in demand
something that someone insists upon having
overwhelmed by the often conflicting importunities of pressure groups
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in harassment
the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another
resented the importunity of those annoying telemarketers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 importunity
Our own house has turned into a kind of office, a site of fax and phone, of administration and importunity.
—
Seamus Heaney, Harper's Magazine, 2 June 2024
Seamus Heaney, Harper's Magazine, 2 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for importunity
Noun
-
Their focus on youth in recruitment demands that older heads (in relative terms, at least — Neto and Fernandez are 25) can alleviate the pressure while players adjust to Chelsea and, in Gittens’ case, the Premier League.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Iranian officials have objected to these demands.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many scenes take place at local grassroots organizations, such as the headquarters of Make the Road New York, where immigrants congregate to tell their stories and find solutions to problems such as acquiring an ID and avoiding police harassment.—
Vikram Murthi,
The Atlantic,
22 Feb. 2026
-
According to Ruby, seven of the 20 or so churches in G92, a Christian immigrant advocacy coalition in the city, are ready to offer physical sanctuary, though many are avoiding publicity for fear of harassment.—
Caitlin Hu,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
What arrived was pleasant but essentially identical to the nightly pre-dinner cocktail hour provisions, nothing that suggested the kitchen had treated it as a distinct request.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Musk didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Advertisement Henderson noted that 486 voters had registration information that was incomplete or inaccurate and that a third of that group registered decades ago, when the state did not have the same requirements.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Abhisek, my personal butler, looked after my every requirement while offering a wealth of insight into local customs, food and architecture.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Importunity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/importunity. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
