as in to argue
to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration
can I plead temporary insanity for having made that foolish decision?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plead
Curry, following his June 9, 2024, arrest, pleaded guilty through the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office to operating while intoxicated after facing the possibility of nine other charges, including resisting arrest and battery to law enforcement, Byrd said.
—
Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
The Ponzo brothers pleaded guilty to felonies arising from the bribery kickback scheme, and a district judge sentenced both of them to 27 months in federal prison.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Claustro pleaded guilty in January to a federal charge of fraud and resigned from the bench.
—Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
At the other end, Gordon was pleading Jokic’s case and picked up his own tech — another free throw.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plead
Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
The Ponzo brothers pleaded guilty to felonies arising from the bribery kickback scheme, and a district judge sentenced both of them to 27 months in federal prison.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Claustro pleaded guilty in January to a federal charge of fraud and resigned from the bench.
—Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
At the other end, Gordon was pleading Jokic’s case and picked up his own tech — another free throw.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plead
Verb
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Steyer argued that California should restructure the market and expand alternative fuel sources, including importing refined fuel if necessary.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
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The case was originally set in Wise County but later moved to Tarrant County after defense attorneys argued for a change of venue, saying the defendant wouldn’t receive a fair trial in Wise County.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Taunton will be defensively strong and leans on its captains – Joey Benoit (Brown), Corbin Melo (LF), Jeremy Knief and Dylan Keenun (SS) – to help a mostly new group of starters contend.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
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Whether that amounts to genuine policy momentum or, as critics contend, an elaborate exercise in reputation management may be the defining question of the political economy of the AI age.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Floyd also reasoned that the case shouldn’t be regarded as moot, even though the players have exhausted their NCAA eligibility.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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For now, however, Dehghani suggests that people should resist using AI to generate ideas or to reason.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But prosecutors might have a difficult time convincing a jury that the five defendants are guilty of murder, said Linda Parisi, a defense attorney based in Sacramento.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
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Aside from being a practical closet staple, the reviews really convinced me that this dress is a gem.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Yet to a man, those who endured last season and remained insist this has been better, even as the standings tell an all-too-familiar story.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
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Israeli forces have continued strikes on Hezbollah as Iran insists a broader ceasefire includes an end to Israeli strikes in Lebanon.—
Dalia Abdelwahab,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trump has asserted himself as the nation's top law enforcer in his second term, personally directing the attorney general and other top officials on whom to investigate and whom to prosecute.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
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The founders, who included Altman, Sutskever, Brockman, and Elon Musk, asserted that artificial intelligence could be the most powerful, and potentially dangerous, invention in human history, and that perhaps, given the existential risk, an unusual corporate structure would be required.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plead. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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