as in begging
to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner
petitioned the judge to be excused from jury duty for financial hardship
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Recent Examples of petitioning
The Secret Garden Bar & Cafe closed abruptly during service on Friday morning after workers began petitioning passers-by about their efforts to form a union.
—
Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
Shelton Vineyards is one of the oldest wineries in North Carolina and the original owners, a pair of brothers, are credited with petitioning the government for the Yadkin Valley to be formally recognized as an AVA.
—Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
But, years before Dobbs, a group of activists calling themselves the Respect New Mexico Women campaign began petitioning lawmakers to overturn the ban.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
So local residents raised the funds instead, with the Prescott Kiwanis Club petitioning citizens to buy $1 shares of the hotel, ultimately raising a total of $150,000.
—Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 24 Sep. 2025
The investor reaction isn’t surprising given the constant thrum of anti-vaccine misinformation since the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as Kennedy’s own role through the Children’s Defense Fund back in May 2021 in petitioning the federal government to revoke authorization of COVID-19 vaccines.
—Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
With that and five other Florida Bar cases over her head, Hufnagel cut the professional rope, petitioning for disciplinary revocation.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Hundreds of postdoctoral scholars and research associates at Northwestern University voted to unionize this week, nearly two months after petitioning school officials.
—Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Even in capital murder cases, the United States requires both criminal prosecutors and defense counsel to meet a rigorous legal standard when petitioning to disturb a mausoleum or grave.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 29 Aug. 2025
Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
Shelton Vineyards is one of the oldest wineries in North Carolina and the original owners, a pair of brothers, are credited with petitioning the government for the Yadkin Valley to be formally recognized as an AVA.
—Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
But, years before Dobbs, a group of activists calling themselves the Respect New Mexico Women campaign began petitioning lawmakers to overturn the ban.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
So local residents raised the funds instead, with the Prescott Kiwanis Club petitioning citizens to buy $1 shares of the hotel, ultimately raising a total of $150,000.
—Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 24 Sep. 2025
The investor reaction isn’t surprising given the constant thrum of anti-vaccine misinformation since the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as Kennedy’s own role through the Children’s Defense Fund back in May 2021 in petitioning the federal government to revoke authorization of COVID-19 vaccines.
—Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
With that and five other Florida Bar cases over her head, Hufnagel cut the professional rope, petitioning for disciplinary revocation.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Hundreds of postdoctoral scholars and research associates at Northwestern University voted to unionize this week, nearly two months after petitioning school officials.
—Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Even in capital murder cases, the United States requires both criminal prosecutors and defense counsel to meet a rigorous legal standard when petitioning to disturb a mausoleum or grave.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petitioning
begging
Verb
-
That deal is begging to be traded.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Recreate Witherspoon’s rich monochromatic look with these burgundy pants that are practically begging to be worn during holiday gatherings.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petitioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petitioning. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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