as in to beg
to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner
she was always importuning people for favors, even when she had no right to ask
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in importunate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of importune
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
Evan Dudley, al, 2 Nov. 2022
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for importune
Verb
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After all those heartfelt letters, begging her nephew to return home, Cara finally comes face-to-face with Spencer.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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Tactility is a prominent feature in the collection; the pieces almost beg to be touched.—
The New York Times,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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How Did Natalia Grace Meet The Mans Family? Natalia’s birth records initially stated she was born in 2003, but two years after adopting her, the Barnetts petitioned a Marion County court to amend her Ukrainian documents, changing her birth year to 1989 and her age to 22.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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After his mother died without a will, Homer Laffoon, then 20, successfully petitioned the court to be named administrator for her estate.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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If your garden consists entirely of fruit trees, however, then chickens could roam free and forage for the larvae of those bothersome fig beetles, which have become an increasingly annoying pest in recent years.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2025
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Talk with your healthcare provider if this is bothersome for you.—
Carrie Madormo, RN,
Health,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Importune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/importune. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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