entreat

Synonym Chooser

How is the word entreat distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of entreat are adjure, beg, beseech, implore, importune, and supplicate. While all these words mean "to ask urgently," entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

When could adjure be used to replace entreat?

The words adjure and entreat can be used in similar contexts, but adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

When is beg a more appropriate choice than entreat?

Although the words beg and entreat have much in common, beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

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

Both beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

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

Where would importune be a reasonable alternative to entreat?

While the synonyms importune and entreat are close in meaning, importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

In what contexts can supplicate take the place of entreat?

The synonyms supplicate and entreat are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 entreat And always take a moment to reflect and double-check before entreating any personal information and especially financial details. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 At Dragonstone, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) entreats Ser Steffon Darklyn (Anthony Flanagan) to attempt mounting the riderless dragon Seasmoke, because his lineage shows Targaryen blood. Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 21 July 2024 The agency is also entreating the diagnostics industry to develop additional kinds of H5N1 tests, to broaden the nation’s portfolio of viral detection capabilities. Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 July 2024 Yet both Hindenburg and the sitting Chancellor, Franz von Papen, had been firm never-Hitler men, and naïvely entreated Hitler to recognize his own unsuitability for the role. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for entreat

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Cite this Entry

“Entreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entreat. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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