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 After decades of perspective-shifting literary retellings like Wide Sargasso Sea and The Mists of Avalon and the current trend of feminist Greek myths, Cathy is an enigma begging for some traumatic backstory to staple her flaws together. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026 Pike took a piece of the victim's crushed skull as a trophy and later showed it off in school, recounting that Slemmer had begged the trio to stop, according to court records. — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 Many head coaches, like Hall of Famer Nick Saban, have begged for any kind of legislation and are endorsing the bill in advertisements and interviews. — Pj Green september 29, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026 The Sarti Spritz has built a devoted following from Americans visiting Europe over the past few years, posting the bubbly concoction on TikTok and begging the company to bring it stateside. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beg
Verb
  • The footage was released Friday after news outlets, including ABC News, petitioned the court.
    — Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The law, which initially took effect July 1, allows individuals convicted of other misdemeanors and some nonviolent felonies to petition the court to seal their records.
    — Liam Bowman, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The statement, which named neither Hur nor anyone else, accepted that every film attracts harsh reviews along with praise, and asked who could draw an exact line between fair and excessive criticism.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Last month, Cate Blanchett, from the London stage of National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre after the curtain call of Electra/Persona, asked fans to put away their cellphones.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In the midst of her fury and rage, Fatiha prays for her father’s safe return.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026
  • When a gunman approached a police cruiser outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, during Yom Kippur, approximately two dozen people were praying inside.
    — Ariella Noveck, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio implored Russia on Tuesday to share more about the death of a Russian laboratory worker that was potentially related to pneumonic plague.
    — John Hudson, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Both daughters implored their father to confess to murdering their mother.
    — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In The Ginger Man, Dangerfield repeatedly beseeches Blessed Oliver to get him out of jams.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The play is set in a lecture hall in 1890, as Theo (played by Pasternak) recounts his memories of Vincent and beseeches the audience — and the world — to understand his brother.
    — Steve Palopoli, Mercury News, 2 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Beg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beg. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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