importune

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How is the word importune distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of importune are adjure, beg, beseech, entreat, implore, and supplicate. While all these words mean "to ask urgently," importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

When would adjure be a good substitute for importune?

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

we were adjured to tell the truth

When could beg be used to replace importune?

The words beg and importune are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

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

Both beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

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

When is entreat a more appropriate choice than importune?

While the synonyms entreat and importune are close in meaning, entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

When can supplicate be used instead of importune?

In some situations, the words supplicate and importune are roughly equivalent. However, supplicate suggests a posture of humility.

with bowed heads they supplicated their Lord

Examples 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 importune
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for importune
Verb
  • With fans begging for the Ngannou vs. Jones bout, Davis speaks on what imaginary hurdles are present that are keeping this fight from occurring.
    Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
  • After Isla sees Alice (Fox) in a sim display and begs her father for the shiny toy, Nick sees the value of having assistance around the house.
    Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • In 2023, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the opponents, halting the project, but proponents petitioned the Supreme Court to review that decision.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Most of that lawsuit was thrown out after Wood petitioned for an anti-SLAPP exemption, a legal maneuver used to strike down frivolous and expensive lawsuits that can silence critics, and Manson was ordered to pay $327,000 in attorney fees.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • For fans who view replay as a bothersome interruption: rest easy — while out-safe and other review calls are currently reviewed by a team of umpires looking at slow-motion video to determine the right call, ABS is pretty straightforward: Did the tracker have the ball in the zone or not?
    Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
  • For Eliminating Food Smells Many of us have experienced the bothersome odor of lingering food smells after cooking a homemade meal.
    Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2024

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Thesaurus Entries Near importune

Cite this Entry

“Importune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/importune. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

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