Definition of begnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word beg distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of beg are adjure, beseech, entreat, implore, importune, and supplicate. While all these words mean "to ask urgently," beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

Where would adjure be a reasonable alternative to beg?

Although the words adjure and beg have much in common, adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

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

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 beg?

The synonyms entreat and beg are sometimes interchangeable, but entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

When is it sensible to use importune instead of beg?

In some situations, the words importune and beg are roughly equivalent. However, importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

When might supplicate be a better fit than beg?

While the synonyms supplicate and beg 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 beg The optics practically beg for it. Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026 The Crusher Evo headphones are the upgrade your ears have been begging for. Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026 Or, worse, how do dogs and pigs do it, with their litters, all those tiny mouths begging—is that what’s become of me? Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026 The zoo’s management wanted to put Ziggy down, but Lewis begged that the sentence be commuted to life imprisonment, indoors. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beg
Verb
  • The record had been under seal for around seven years before the New York Times petitioned for its release last month.
    Shirsho Dasgupta Updated May 6, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
  • Whether Sorsby will petition the NFL to hold a supplemental draft this summer and whether the NFL would agree are unknowns.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • The congresswoman asked lawmakers to assess the situation and develop a repatriation plan by the end of the day on May 7.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 8 May 2026
  • The debate was sponsored by The Denver Post, Denver7 and Colorado Public Radio, and the first question asked Bennet and Weiser to identify a policy position that separated them.
    Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • In preparation for the Alaskan wilderness, the Hoffmans and their crew shop for bear guns, bid their wives farewell, and are prayed over by a local pastor (who decides, at the last minute, to join them).
    Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Veterinary technicians took out their tackle boxes of medications and sedated the whale, and then the tribe prayed, drummed, and offered thanks to the whale and to the people who tried to help it.
    Robin Romm, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • His teammates implored him to receive immediate medical attention.
    Josh Robbins, New York Times, 1 May 2026
  • While the teams were taking batting practice, a small plane flew around Fenway pulling a banner imploring the Red Sox to fire chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and owner John Henry to sell the team.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • Some Cypress Village residents are beseeching the city to keep it that way, even as the HOA applies to let the pickle balling resume.
    Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Come in great numbers; this we beseech; Help San Diego to win free speech.
    Amelia Soth, JSTOR Daily, 15 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Beg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beg. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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