variants
or pled
also plead
as in argued
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 pleaded
Both Gordinaire and his daughter pleaded guilty in 2025.
—
Brian Maass, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Despite initially denying the allegations against him, in January 2022, BBC News reported that Hardy pleaded guilty to five counts of stalking involving fear of violence.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Abdul-Malik McClain, who the DOJ says was responsible for at least three dozen fraudulent applications, pleaded guilty in June 2024 to one count of felony mail fraud.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
In October 2023, Littlejohn pleaded guilty to unauthorized disclosure of tax returns and return information—a violation of section 7213(a)(1) of the tax code, the most serious offense for leaking tax information.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Littlejohn pleaded guilty in 2023 to one count of unauthorized disclosures of income tax returns.
—Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
In 1999, after securities regulators had closed in on Stratton Oakmont, Befort pled guilty to securities fraud and money laundering charges.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Yamagami’s brother pleaded with her to leave the religion and fought with her endlessly, sometimes beating her.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Kanye West, now known as Ye, has taken out an ad in The Wall Street Journal to plead for forgiveness after his antisemitic rampage in 2025.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Brian Maass, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Despite initially denying the allegations against him, in January 2022, BBC News reported that Hardy pleaded guilty to five counts of stalking involving fear of violence.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Abdul-Malik McClain, who the DOJ says was responsible for at least three dozen fraudulent applications, pleaded guilty in June 2024 to one count of felony mail fraud.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
In October 2023, Littlejohn pleaded guilty to unauthorized disclosure of tax returns and return information—a violation of section 7213(a)(1) of the tax code, the most serious offense for leaking tax information.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Littlejohn pleaded guilty in 2023 to one count of unauthorized disclosures of income tax returns.
—Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
In 1999, after securities regulators had closed in on Stratton Oakmont, Befort pled guilty to securities fraud and money laundering charges.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Yamagami’s brother pleaded with her to leave the religion and fought with her endlessly, sometimes beating her.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Kanye West, now known as Ye, has taken out an ad in The Wall Street Journal to plead for forgiveness after his antisemitic rampage in 2025.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleaded
Verb
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Another lawsuit brought by detainees in federal court in Fort Myers argued that immigration was a federal issue, and Florida agencies and private contractors hired by the state had no authority to operate the facility under federal law.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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So, Hippocrates argued, the illness of epilepsy must be caused, like any other illness, by imbalance, not demons.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In her ruling, Talwani said the decision to end the program was not well reasoned to consider concerns of the people affected.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Jan. 2026
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Beauty, Paltrow reasoned, is one of the most emotionally connective categories with both new and existing customers.—
James Manso,
Footwear News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In granting that request, the court rejected a motion filed by Ohio State, which contended that the plaintiffs were only trying to draw Wexner into their case based on unrelated controversies.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Following that hearing, Hill contended that criminal acts had occurred during the election, and prosecutors should act.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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From there, the same White House that for months had insisted Venezuela was a dangerous country run by drug cartels dispatched him on yet another of last year’s 76 deportation flights back to South America.—
Maeva Bambuck,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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Instead, Newsom insisted that free tuition become part of a larger higher-education-reform plan with many interlocking pieces—a program that is hard to explain in fifteen seconds on TV.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pleaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleaded. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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