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

Relevance

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

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
For families Children's amenity sets, kids' menus (including a kaiseki course), and baby food warming are available on request. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026 This included cost analysts and schedulers, who were forbidden to work on the mission because the President’s budget request eliminated the probe program entirely. Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
Last week, the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and several residents of McCrorey Heights filed a motion for a temporary restraining order against NCDOT requesting a halt to the project. Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026 When the Herald called the Hampden County Superior Court’s probation office to request the information, a staffer said the office cannot release the public information, before hanging up on the Herald. Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for request
Recent Examples of Synonyms for request
Noun
  • Advice columnist Carolyn Hax takes your comments and questions most Fridays about life, family, relationships and more.
    Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2026
  • And yet, Trump has also managed to avoid complex questions about those issues — the most pressing before his administration — and despite Democrats and some of his own supporters lashing out over them.
    Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Those unseen spaces have a kind of electrical charge, the power of bonds and conflicts, of underlying tensions and demands.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
  • To keep up with the demand for campaign mailers, employees are working seven days a week for up to 12 hours daily.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Pull up a chair and order a plate of crispy fried chicken, followed by a doorstop of red velvet cake.
    Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Iran was clearly prepared, especially after the Twelve-Day War, last June, when the President ordered B-2 stealth warplanes to drop bunker-busting bombs on nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.
    Robin Wright, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The meetings come as the Republican administration seeks to leverage military assets to restore dominance in the hemisphere while now also fighting a war in Iran.
    JOSHUA GOODMAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
  • February’s bankruptcy plan offered an indication that GST was seeking to prioritize its relationship with athletes to facilitate a possible path forward for the project.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Minear replies coyly when asked a question that assumes Dixie and Buck went home together.
    Patrick Gomez, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Don’t let anyone stop you from asking questions, but do pay attention to the answers.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The seven faculty members and administrators who approved his fall course declined to comment or did not respond to inquiries by the Herald/Times.
    Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Following inquiries from media services asking for further information, the LaSalle Police Service issued a follow-up Thursday.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • During the day, the multi-tiered outdoor pool area is perfect for a rosé on your lounge chair or in a private cabana, along with or a snack from pool bar Azure’s (mainly) healthy menu of market veggie crudité, yellowtail crudo, and salmon poke.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Its housing market has also crashed, with major centers Auckland and Wellington suffering among their worst slumps in history, following a post-pandemic surge – with prices down nearly 30% in the capital since January 2022.
    Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The agency was supposed to issue requests for proposals to four finalist companies this month, which would have been a key step in advancing the project by inviting each firm to create a construction plan.
    Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2026
  • As pleasure-seeking Venus alights within your 5th House of Self-Expression, fun projects sparkle, and your spirited humor invites others to join a playful challenge.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Request.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/request. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on request

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster