Definition of adjurenext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word adjure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of adjure are beg, beseech, entreat, implore, importune, and supplicate. While all these words mean "to ask urgently," adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

When can beg be used instead of adjure?

The synonyms beg and adjure are sometimes interchangeable, but beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

How are the words beseech and implore related as synonyms of adjure?

Both beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

I beseech you to have mercy
implored her not to leave him

In what contexts can entreat take the place of adjure?

While in some cases nearly identical to adjure, entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

Where would importune be a reasonable alternative to adjure?

The words importune and adjure can be used in similar contexts, but importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

When would supplicate be a good substitute for adjure?

While the synonyms supplicate and adjure are close in meaning, supplicate suggests a posture of humility.

with bowed heads they supplicated their Lord

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 adjure Despite the song’s topic, the music is joyful, light, as Carlito adjures Maya in Lingala, the language of Kinshasa and its environs: Listen to a voice calling you in the middle of the night. Nicolas Niarchos, The New Yorker, 26 June 2019 And Congress is adjured by the Fourteenth Amendment to enforce it against the states. WSJ, 25 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjure
Verb
  • This was, after all, the woman who had advised me not to hold her hand on the way to fifth grade because doing so would only increase my social isolation.
    Lena Dunham, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • A week after the crash, police are advising anyone drinking to either call a friend or use a rideshare to get home safely.
    Heath Kalb, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Jurors were later instructed to disregard large portions of the girl’s testimony, which the appellate panel said was likely confusing to the jury.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
  • LeVota did implement a cap on commercial properties by instructing county staff to manually adjust the values of more than 6,200 spaces.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Summit County Commissioner Eric Mamula warned that the concern is no longer hypothetical.
    Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Elder law experts warn that the best protection against uncertainty, exploitation or government infringement of your independence is to plan ahead, early and often.
    Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • One of them told Felder that the precinct had received a complaint about a trespasser at the synagogue.
    Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Minnesota victim wants accountability After she was injured, Stotko told the city council in her community of Hastings, Minnesota, about her crash to push for a stricter ordinance.
    Sarah Raza, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Johnson-Swartz was suspended from teaching at STEM School Highlands Ranch after the allegations emerged.
    Logan Smith, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
  • With two county destinations included on the National Park Service National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, the Oldham County History Center aims to teach visitors about some of the county's historical milestones.
    Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • At least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division, trained to land in hostile territory to secure key positions and airfields, have been ordered to the Middle East.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Denise was ordered to go into the same closet.
    Lauren Clark, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The 91-year-old therapist began her career during the Vietnam War by counseling relatives of soldiers missing in action.
    Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
  • There is counseling available for families and individuals, and support groups for a number of people, from caregivers to cancer patients.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Ali, who wasn’t formally charged, called his family to say that he would be released on bail, and asked them to gather the funds and collect him from prison.
    Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The Manteca Fire Department is taking action and trying to get ahead of this fire season by asking residents to reduce fire danger or face fines.
    Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Adjure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjure. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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