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?
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Recent Examples of pleads
Bree pleads with her not to go with him.
—
Pamela Avila, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Bree pleads with her not to go.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
But in an earlier scene, Nixon pleads with his wife not to divorce him, reminding her of their idyllic courtship days; Williams’ music here is a lyrical love theme for solo trumpet and strings — pure bittersweet Americana.
—Tim Greiving, HollywoodReporter, 20 Dec. 2025
Mike Hellgren Lawyer pleads for help Diaz Morales's lawyer, Victoria Slatton,'s videos have gone viral on TikTok.
—Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
March 24, 2025 Clark pleads not guilty to his federal charges.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2025
Williamson pleads ‘not guilty’ Almost a full year after she was interviewed by the FBI, Williamson was arrested in her Carmichael home.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 15 Nov. 2025
After her sisters turn to dust, Winifred pleads with Becca for help.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Stiffler pleads to fight against tax increases, scrutinizing incoming land developers, and back law enforcement if voted onto the council, her campaign site says.
—Pj Green
october 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2025
Pamela Avila, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Bree pleads with her not to go.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
But in an earlier scene, Nixon pleads with his wife not to divorce him, reminding her of their idyllic courtship days; Williams’ music here is a lyrical love theme for solo trumpet and strings — pure bittersweet Americana.
—Tim Greiving, HollywoodReporter, 20 Dec. 2025
Mike Hellgren Lawyer pleads for help Diaz Morales's lawyer, Victoria Slatton,'s videos have gone viral on TikTok.
—Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
March 24, 2025 Clark pleads not guilty to his federal charges.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2025
Williamson pleads ‘not guilty’ Almost a full year after she was interviewed by the FBI, Williamson was arrested in her Carmichael home.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 15 Nov. 2025
After her sisters turn to dust, Winifred pleads with Becca for help.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Stiffler pleads to fight against tax increases, scrutinizing incoming land developers, and back law enforcement if voted onto the council, her campaign site says.
—Pj Green
october 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleads
Verb
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The suit, filed in Sacramento federal court, argues California’s requirement that all new vehicles sold in the state be zero-emission by 2035 improperly regulates fuel economy — an area the administration says falls under the authority of the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.—
Madison Smalstig,
Sacbee.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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Farai Maguwu, director of the Centre for Natural Resources Governance, argues Zimbabwe could end up still dependent on foreign mining companies whose priorities ultimately lie elsewhere.—
Ray Mwayera,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Colorado Chamber of Commerce contends that the bill would create duplicative enforcement and regulatory systems.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
8 Mar. 2026
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The Justice Department contends both the mask ban and the ID law illegally interfere with the operation of the federal government, a violation of the Constitution’s supremacy clause, while California likens them to highway speed limits, which apply to everyone equally.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
Verb
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Tehran insists its nuclear program is intended for civilian purposes, but its enrichment activities have been the subject of ongoing international scrutiny.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Mar. 2026
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And the Korubo tribe demands compensation and insists on the right to tell its own story.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The standard narrative asserts that the correlation between the oil price surges and observed increases in inflation was causally linked.—
Steve H. Hanke,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
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The government asserts that decisions on security clearances are up to the president, and federal agencies are allowed to review companies' employment practices.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pleads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleads. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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