implore

Synonym Chooser

How is the word implore distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of implore are adjure, beg, beseech, entreat, importune, and supplicate. While all these words mean "to ask urgently," beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

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

When might adjure be a better fit than implore?

While in some cases nearly identical to implore, adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

When is it sensible to use beg instead of implore?

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

they begged for help

In what contexts can entreat take the place of implore?

In some situations, the words entreat and implore are roughly equivalent. However, entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

When would importune be a good substitute for implore?

While the synonyms importune and implore are close in meaning, importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

When is supplicate a more appropriate choice than implore?

The words supplicate and implore are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 implore At the end of the episode, Winfrey even implored Holmes herself to come to the stage (Cruise himself pulled her out). Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 23 May 2025 Ten days after an equipment malfunction left about a dozen planes flying blind for 90 seconds in the crowded skies over New Jersey, worried pilots and air traffic controllers are imploring the Federal Aviation Administration to fix the system's aging infrastructure. Melissa Chan, NBC news, 8 May 2025 Pattinson looked at Lawrence wide-eyed, as if imploring her to answer first. Rachel Handler, Vulture, 18 May 2025 During Wednesday night’s closing act, Butler confidant Dwyane Wade was seen on a live stream imploring more. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for implore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for implore
Verb
  • Until her death at age 25, Emily would beg to be taken to the carousel at the mall near her home in Columbia, Maryland.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 26 May 2025
  • But coming from the multiracial, multiethnic U.S., his background begged for further description.
    Rebecca R. Bibbs, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • If a lot goes unused for seventy-five years, the cemetery can petition to reclaim it.
    Paige Williams, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
  • After one of the last attempts before Dawn’s death, Erin petitioned the court to request that her mother be provided with psychiatric care.
    Sam Gillette, People.com, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Implore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/implore. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on implore

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