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
York pleads his case to the earl of Salisbury and Salisbury’s son, the earl of Warwick.
—
Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Other suspect pleads not guilty Rodriguez, 18, was arraigned on the same indictment and pleaded not guilty Tuesday.
—Christina Fan, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Heuermann pleads guilty to seven counts of murder, involving the killings of Barthelemy, Brainard-Barnes, Costello, Costilla, Mack, Taylor and Waterman.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
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
Maduro pleads not guilty to US narco-terrorism charges.
—Melos Ambaye, Bloomberg, 5 Jan. 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
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
Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Other suspect pleads not guilty Rodriguez, 18, was arraigned on the same indictment and pleaded not guilty Tuesday.
—Christina Fan, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Heuermann pleads guilty to seven counts of murder, involving the killings of Barthelemy, Brainard-Barnes, Costello, Costilla, Mack, Taylor and Waterman.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
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
Maduro pleads not guilty to US narco-terrorism charges.
—Melos Ambaye, Bloomberg, 5 Jan. 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleads
Verb
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The filing also argues Flagg's performances are not comparable to Swift's album or brand.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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Letter urges reconsideration of design In a letter to church elders, Hubbard argues that newer LDS temple designs suggest tall steeples are not always necessary.—
Erin Jones,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The article contends that California voters prioritize real economic concerns—such as housing affordability, rising utility and grocery costs, and fuel expenses—over celebrity status and entertainment value, making substantive qualifications more important than star power.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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The Republican contends the selection came down to Democratic supervisors picking a political ally.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 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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Wilson insists that MacInnes told her that an incident in September 2023, during which MacInnes and Ghost shared a bath in swimsuits, had made the young actress uncomfortable.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
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However, everyone insists her two absences were not related to that.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Walker, who was recruited to lead Anonymous after 12 years of heading the Ford Foundation, asserts that Farhadi’s work is an inspiration.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
8 May 2026
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Under the California law Lively asserts, the actress could be entitled to attorneys’ fees, plus treble and punitive damages, for harm caused by Baldoni’s defamation claims.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pleads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleads. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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