beg

verb

ˈbeg How to pronounce beg (audio)
Definition of begnext
as in to petition
to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner she begged her husband to give up extreme skiing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Franck Kessie and Deniz Undav scored from cutbacks into the box, but the chaos of this game came from the number of opportunities from that same route that went begging. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 24 June 2026 The 13-track record chronicles the lifespan of a relationship, from the exuberance of initial infatuation to the whiplash of begging for affection from a partner that was once so easily enamored. — Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 Everything from the division of the Peaches and the Plums to Shamea’s tagline this season is a secret cry from Shamea to Porsha, begging for attention under the guise of her own emancipation. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026 As the cancerous mass that would ultimately kill him grew unchecked in his lungs, Terrence Wise desperately wrote message after message to the staff of the MDC Brooklyn federal jail, begging for medical help. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for beg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beg
  1. petition
  2. ask
  3. pray
  4. implore
  5. beseech
Verb
  • With seemingly nowhere left to turn, Apple petitioned the Supreme Court to intervene in a last-ditch attempt to keep fees at an acceptable rate.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
  • With an $800 daily fine soon going into effect over her 2024 civil contempt ruling, Fox News alum Catherine Herridge‘s legal team has petitioned for a stay after she was ordered to reveal her sources for her 2017 stories about Yanping Chen.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 26 June 2026
Definition of petition
Verb
  • When asked about his All-Star nod over the weekend, Joe Ryan focused on his team’s offense and the upcoming schedule instead of himself.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 July 2026
  • Darnell didn’t have an answer when asked if Acuff, Clifford and Cardwell will play against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday in the final game of the California Classic.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of ask
Verb
  • Bishop Lawrence Sullivan invited the roughly 100 worshippers at the memorial’s dedication service to rise and pray.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • The hardline general was seen praying over the late Supreme Leader’s body on the second day of the procession in Tehran.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of pray
Verb
  • Taxing jurisdictions like school districts and libraries are imploring the county to not deal such a dramatic blow to their operating budgets, while homeowners want the county to grant them relief from their high bills.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
  • Then a casual dig through an estate sale bin morphs into obsession, resulting in making bids at auctions, combing through the recesses of eBay or imploring friends in politics to snag you a piece.
    — A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026
Definition of implore
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of beseech

Browse Nearby Words

befuddling
beg
began
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Cite this Entry

“Beg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beg. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on beg

Nglish: Translation of beg for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about beg

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