importune

1 of 2

verb

im·​por·​tune ˌim-pər-ˈtün 

-ˈtyün;

im-ˈpȯr-ˌt(y)ün,

-chən

importuned; importuning; importunes

transitive verb

1

a

: to press or urge with troublesome persistence

b

archaic : to request or beg for urgently

2

: annoy, trouble

intransitive verb

: to beg, urge, or solicit persistently or troublesomely

importuner noun

importune

2 of 2

adjective

: importunate

importunely adverb

Did you know?

“Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” Oh, bother. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of this classic road-trip refrain, then you, friend, have been importuned. Importune is most often encountered in formal speech and writing, however, so you’re more likely to have responded “Stop bothering/pestering/annoying me!” (or just “No!”) than “Please cease importuning me while I’m driving!” Nevertheless, importune—like bother, pester, and annoy—conveys irritating doggedness in trying to break down resistance to a request for something, whether information (such as a precise ETA) or a favor, as in “repeated e-mails from organizations importuning me for financial help.” Importune also functions in the legal realm, where it is used for behavior that qualifies as pressing or urging another with troublesome persistence.

Synonyms

Verb

• beg
• petition

Choose the Right Synonym for importune

beg, entreat, beseech, implore, supplicate, adjure, importune mean to ask urgently.

beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

I beseech you to have mercy

implored her not to leave him

supplicate suggests a posture of humility.

with bowed heads they supplicated their Lord

adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

Examples of importune in a Sentence

Verb

He stood on the street corner, importuning passersby for help.

He importuned them to help.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Four years later the line was importuned for Robinson Cano. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2024

In 1982, she was importuned to join the board of Bronx River Restoration and readily accepted. —Sam Roberts, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024

For one thing, Acts 156 and 157 alleged in the complaint pick out actions Trump took on September 17, 2021, still importuning Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to decertify the election. —Aziz Huq, Time, 21 Aug. 2023

Said brother was importuned only occasionally, a distant wingman to these sorties. —Wyatt Mason, Harper's Magazine, 6 Jan. 2023

This may be in part because those whose first overtures were ignored conclude that the widow wants to be left alone, and thus cease to importune her. —Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2022

Stewart Dickerson, 64, is charged with importuning and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, according to jail records. —Madeline Mitchell, Cincinnati.com, 28 Feb. 2020

In exchange for his guilty plea, Cuyahoga County prosecutors dropped charges of importuning and possessing criminal tools. —Cory Shaffer, cleveland, 26 Feb. 2020

He is charged with importuning, a fifth-degree felony, court records say. —Evan MacDonald, cleveland, 4 Feb. 2020

Adjective

The Blazers did not turn the ball over but importune mistakes resulted in the Owls taking an early lead and eventually surging ahead in the second half. —Evan Dudley, al, 2 Nov. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Verb

borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French importuner "to tire, annoy by inappropriate persistence," borrowed from Medieval Latin importūnāre "to harass, pester," verbal derivative of Latin importūnus "unfavorable, inconvenient, adverse, troublesome, relentless" — more at importune entry 2

Adjective

Middle English, "persistent, overeager, fierce, cruel, grievous, troublesome," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, "persistently troublesome," borrowed from Latin importūnus "not suited to one's purpose, unfavorable, inconvenient, adverse, unaccommodating, troublesome, relentless," probably from im- im- + -portūnus (in opportūnus "favoring one's needs, serviceable, convenient") — more at opportune

Note: The Latin adjective importūnus appears to have been formed as a negative counterpart to opportūnus.

First Known Use

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

importune

verb

im·​por·​tune

ˌim-pər-ˈt(y)ün,

im-ˈpȯr-chən

importuned; importuning

: to beg or urge so much as to be a nuisance

importuner noun

Legal Definition

importune

verb

im·​por·​tune

ˌim-pȯr-ˈtün, -ˈtyün; im-ˈpȯr-ˌtyün, -chən

importuned; importuning

transitive verb

: to press or urge with troublesome persistence

who solicits, requests, commands, importunes or intentionally aids another person to engage in conduct which constitutes an offense

—General Statutes of Connecticut

intransitive verb

: to beg, urge, or press another persistently or troublesomely compare coerce, solicit