pleads

verb

present tense third-person singular of plead
as in argues
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

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 pleads Fort Worth Police Department’s West Division At 17 minutes, Beth (Kelly Reilly) pleads with Sheriff Wade (Josh Stewart) at the Rio Paloma Sheriff’s Office to find Carter (Finn Little). — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 July 2026 Such agreements do not become effective until the defendant pleads guilty before a judge. — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026 Mother pleads for help finding son His mother asked community members to check hotels, hostels, capsule hotels, internet cafés, manga cafés, train stations, convenience stores, hiking areas, rivers, shrines and other places. — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 June 2026 Continue reading … 'TWILIGHT ZONE' — NYC landlord pleads for help as '9-year-squatter' turns his life upside down. — FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026 The mother of baby Emmanuel Haro, who claimed he had been kidnapped, pleads guilty to his death. — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026 Paxton is arrested after turning himself in and pleads not guilty to the charges. — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 28 May 2026 Epstein pleads guilty to state charges of solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of prostitution with a minor under the age of 18, and is sentenced to 18 months in jail. — Shirsho Dasgupta may 22, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026 Georgie pleads, but Meemaw believes that Fred might help Mary loosen up. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleads
  1. argues
  2. contends
  3. reasons
  4. insists
  5. asserts
Verb
  • While organizers did hit the signature threshold after the second submission period, the lawsuit argues that the second batch of signatures were filed after 11 days — one day late — and therefore should be void.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
  • Instead of viewing remote work as just an employee perk, Bloom argues companies could benefit from treating it as a way to maintain productivity in harsh conditions.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 9 July 2026
Definition of argues
Verb
  • The 12-state coalition, however, contends that the opposite is true.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 July 2026
  • The Paramount response, via a two-page press release, followed the filing of the lawsuit, which contends that the merger will create an anticompetitive entity controlling too much of the pay-TV and movie studio sectors.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 July 2026
Definition of contends
Verb
  • How the Fed reasons its way to agreements is as important as the agreements.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2026
  • The system reasons underneath, processing infinitely complex 3D scenarios, handling trade clashes, regulations and tradeoffs - learning from user feedback over time to eliminate the need for users to supervise its intelligence.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Definition of reasons
Verb
  • Edgar insists on a moment alone with his dead son before the coffin rolls into the crematorium furnace.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • Iran insists the deal means an end to fighting in Lebanon as well.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
Definition of insists
Verb
  • Iran quickly responds with strikes against Israel and across the Gulf region and asserts control over the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil and natural gas supplies from the Gulf.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
  • Ursuline argues this depiction is factually wrong, and asserts the conference failed to identify any specific reason, such as a provision of the conference constitution or loss of institutional control as defined by the NCAA.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of asserts

Browse Nearby Words

pleading (to)
pleads
pleads (for)
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Cite this Entry

“Pleads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleads. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of pleads for Spanish Speakers

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