request 1 of 2

Definition of requestnext
1
as in question
an act or instance of asking for information the medical columnist is unable to answer individual requests for specific information on various disorders

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in demand
the state of being sought after especially for purchase reliable babysitters are much in request, especially on weekends

Synonyms & Similar Words

request

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word request distinct from other similar verbs?

The words ask and solicit are common synonyms of request. While all three words mean "to seek to obtain by making one's wants known," request implies greater formality and courtesy.

requests the pleasure of your company

In what contexts can ask take the place of request?

While in some cases nearly identical to request, ask implies no more than the statement of the desire.

ask a favor of a friend

When is it sensible to use solicit instead of request?

The words solicit and request are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, solicit suggests a calling attention to one's wants or desires by public announcement or advertisement.

a letter soliciting information

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 request
Noun
The co-founders have pushed over the years into more defense work, which has benefited the company amid the Pentagon’s AI warfare strategy and a massive budget request this year to modernize the military. Rebecca Fannin, CNBC, 19 May 2026 Jeff Titus was released in 2023, and his murder convictions were erased at the request of prosecutors. CBS News, 19 May 2026
Verb
Additional crews were requested, including aviation and K-9 units, to assist with the search. Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 20 May 2026 Fernandez, Schultz and Socarras did not respond to emails requesting comment on the case. Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for request
Recent Examples of Synonyms for request
Noun
  • The patio umbrella in question is perfectly oversized to cast a cool shadow over your entire lounge area.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2026
  • There is no single right answer to the question of how many potatoes grow from one potato; the yield depends on a range of factors, such as the potato variety, the time of planting, the growing conditions, and more.
    Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 23 May 2026
Noun
  • Advanced Micro Devices — Shares were up more than 4% after CEO Lisa Su predicted the elevated demand for CPUs will last for five years .
    Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 22 May 2026
  • Align benefits with employee demand.
    Scott Paddock, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • If there are Porthilly oysters on the menu don’t even think about ordering another starter.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
  • Meanwhile, Hester has been privately dealing with mental lapses and throbbing headaches, refraining from telling her family about the medical tests her doctor ordered.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • The opener will be Vrabel’s first game since the reigning AP Coach of the Year missed Day 3 of the NFL draft to seek counseling following the publication of photos of him and longtime football reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort.
    Rob Maaddi, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
  • The changes that the mayor is seeking will still set this housing apart for those who need it most, but not let bureaucracy itself drive them away.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • On the topic of arresting homeless people, moderators asked how Bianco's sheriff's office has been known to do.
    James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026
  • Patients were concerned too, and some asked Hulse what would happen to the new clinic after her team left.
    Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • The state police, already examining alleged irregularities in city tax collections during Stewart’s administration, expanded the inquiry to include credit card use and the FBI also has opened an investigation, law enforcement sources said Thursday.
    Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
  • And Szabo hired prominent Charlotte criminal defense attorney Tin to represent her in an inquiry by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.
    Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • For auditors specifically, the expansion of tokenized equity markets creates pressure to develop new knowledge around blockchain analytics, reserve verification, smart contract testing, and digital asset governance.
    Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
  • Gina also happens to be a mom to a 21-month-old, which means she’s tested every pair of baby pajamas and baby bottles on the market.
    Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • For perhaps the first time, a president of the United States is not merely protecting Jewish religious practice or praising Jewish contributions, but inviting a distinctly Jewish religious experience itself — Shabbat — into the broader civic conversation of the nation.
    Ari Berman, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
  • The clear spirit is believed to act as a messenger, inviting ancestral souls for their blessings.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Request.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/request. Accessed 24 May. 2026.

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