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 Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment from CNN. Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 An attorney representing Mays did not immediately return requests for comment. Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
After years of legal proceedings in the United Kingdom and Romania, the Tates were arrested in Miami by US Marshals on July 18 on provisional arrest warrants requested by Britain. Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 Schrama gave prosecutors five days to decide, with the option to request an additional five days. Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for request
Recent Examples of Synonyms for request
Noun
  • Ask a clarifying question, keep your response simple, and save the deeper processing for a space that actually feels safe.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
  • That’s the question Liberians are asking themselves after the first people to be deported to the West African country from the United States arrived in the capital, Monrovia.
    Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Amazon also looked to capitalize on the demand for AI training by marketing MTurk as a data annotation source for its SageMaker service.
    Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Bloomingdale’s chief merchant Denise Magid also cites backpacks as a strong and growing category, noting demand for classic Polo Ralph Lauren styles and bolder designs from brands like State and Sprayground.
    Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The site has now been sequestered and Malosso was ordered to tear down the theater, though its fate remains to be seen.
    Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • However, they can be ordered with Transitions lenses that darken outdoors and clear up inside.
    Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority CEO Doug Kreulen said Parton’s life exemplified the values the airport seeks to nurture.
    Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Twenty-five years on and seeking revenge, Robbie infiltrates his gang from the bottom up in order to kill the man responsible, only to discover that the British underboss is grooming him to settle a debt no one was ever meant to survive.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • When asked if Tebow wanted to discuss Sunday’s experience, a member of his PR team said the 39-year-old native of the Jacksonville area native could not fit the request into his schedule.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The sheriff’s office later declined to say why that determination was made, when the remains were found or who found them when asked by CNN.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Clarke’s legacy, of a philosophical cinema that turns form into inquiry, critique, and protest, is also a cinema of paradox.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • An official inquiry into the intelligence that led to the decision was later established.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • With a nearly $3 billion market cap, Imax is a relatively inexpensive asset in the entertainment landscape.
    Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • So Issa decides to bring out the real Paul Baker by inviting over all his bros.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Romanian actress Alina Șerban (Housekeeping for Beginners, Alone at My Wedding, Gipsy Queen) is inviting us on a cinematic journey into the experience of being a Roma woman.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Request.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/request. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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