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plea

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of plea

1 an earnest request

  • the captive made an impassioned plea for his life to be spared
Synonyms of plea

adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, petition, pleading, prayer, solicitation, suit, suppliance, supplication
Words Related to plea

application, requisition

call, claim, demand, insistence

2 an explanation that frees one from fault or blame

  • my only plea is that Iʼve been overworked lately
Synonyms of plea

alibi, apology, defense, excuse, justification, reason
Words Related to plea

color, guise, pretense (or pretence), pretext, rationale, rationalization, vindication, whitewash

cop-out, out

acknowledgment (or acknowledgement), atonement, confession

extenuation, palliation

Synonym Discussion of plea

apology, apologia, excuse, plea, pretext, alibi mean matter offered in explanation or defense. apology usually applies to an expression of regret for a mistake or wrong with implied admission of guilt or fault and with or without reference to mitigating or extenuating circumstances.
    • said by way of apology that he would have met them if he could
apologia implies not admission of guilt or regret but a desire to make clear the grounds for some course, belief, or position.
    • his speech was an apologia for his foreign policy
excuse implies an intent to avoid or remove blame or censure.
    • used illness as an excuse for missing the meeting
plea stresses argument or appeal for understanding or sympathy or mercy.
    • her usual plea that she was nearsighted
pretext suggests subterfuge and the offering of false reasons or motives in excuse or explanation.
    • used any pretext to get out of work
alibi implies a desire to shift blame or evade punishment and imputes mere plausibility to the explanation.
    • his alibi failed to stand scrutiny

Learn More about plea

  1. See words that rhyme with plea Dictionary: Definition of plea Spanish Central: Translation of plea Nglish: Translation of plea for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of plea for Arabic speakers

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