BEGGING Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

begging 1 of 3

adjective

as in insistent

Related Words

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begging

2 of 3

noun

as in pleading

Related Words

begging

3 of 3

verb

present participle of beg

as in petitioning

to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner she begged her husband to give up extreme skiing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 begging

Adjective

Violators can be punished with fines up to $500 and three months in jail under one anti-begging law and with fines starting at up to $100 and 10 days in jail under a law against soliciting contributions from people in cars. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026

Noun

But this time, his begging sounds like more than an empty come-on. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026 Certainly plenty of people after Baudelaire have also navigated this conundrum, with (for the most part) less opium use and Freudian begging. — Literary Hub, 22 Dec. 2025 After a little begging and pleading, the parent could not say no, and the PetSmart trip turned into the family welcoming home a cat. — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025 The world’s biggest deadbeat has passed the begging bowl again. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025 And a reminder that without the ability to strike, collective bargaining is just collective begging. — Tim Wright, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2025

Verb

Video on social media showed distressed shopkeepers begging young men to stop stealing their inventory—and those young men pushing them aside to grab shoes and food from their shelves. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 So your group chat has been begging you to host the next big viewing night, and your bank account is giving you side-eye. — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026 Mahajan’s family has appeared at City Hall, in person and through videoconference calls from India, begging the city to finally end the rides. — Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Mahajan's family has appeared at City Hall, in person and through videoconference calls from India, begging the city to finally end the rides. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 At just $12, the Amazon Essentials Short-sleeve Maxi Dress is practically begging to be paired with a cardigan for the flight and worn solo after landing. — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 14 Oct. 2026 Therein, a young woman sits on her dead lover’s grave for a year, begging to see him again. — Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026 For her part, Maya has been begging to go back and see Harris, by far her favorite medical experience. — Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026 These little light strips are just begging to be tinkered with. — Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for begging

Adjective

There’s something inherently comical about this insistent, creepy overfamiliarity.

— Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026
Those close to Al-Khelaifi are insistent that there is no conflict of interest, with the chair recusing himself from the LFP board over the past 12 months to remove any potential issue.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of insistent

Noun

Patriot stockpiles are low, largely because of the Iran war, and Ukraine has received only small numbers of them this year despite President Volodymyr Zelensky’s pleading.

— Susie Blann, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Patriot stockpiles are low, largely because of the Iran war, and Ukraine has received only small numbers of them this year despite President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s pleading.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of pleading

Verb

Those hoping to challenge the highest court’s composition or jurisdiction may go about that in a few ways, such as by petitioning for term limits.

— Connor Greene, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Some vendors have been petitioning the FCC, noting that the ongoing memory shortage has forced them to modify existing routers with replacement components.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of petitioning

Adjective

Those capabilities could help address a persistent challenge in counter-drone warfare.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
This cycle of price increases serves not only to offset immediate fuel price spikes, but also to make up for unadjusted pricing power lost in recent years due to flight overcapacity, fare suppression, and persistent inflation.

— , CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of persistent

Noun

The question is going to voters because opponents gathered petition signatures forcing a referendum.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Attorneys for Pro Silver Star sent the band a cease-and-desist letter on Thursday, the filing states, and a copy of the petition for the restraining order and injunction on Friday.

— Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of petition

Verb

After the shooting took place, the university issued a statement on X asking members of its campus community to stay away from the area.

— Samantha Cookinham, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
The neurologist emphasized that patients should feel comfortable asking questions and getting a second opinion.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of asking

Noun

Seybolt said the steps to choose the alternative standardized test are similar to the screener selection process, with the commission soliciting bids and making a recommendation to the state Board of Education.

— Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoma Voice, 8 Sep. 2026
The man who was shot was possibly under the influence, according to the person who reported the soliciting.

— Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2026

Definition of soliciting

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Style

“Begging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/begging. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of begging

adjective

noun

verb

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