implore

verb

im·​plore im-ˈplȯr How to pronounce implore (audio)
implored; imploring

transitive verb

1
a
: to make an earnest request to (someone) : beg
We earnestly implore you to bow out of the practice of clinical medicine and permit us to get on with our difficult job.William Steinsmith
… electronic highway signs implore Californians to "Save Water" and municipalities impose increasingly draconian conservation measures …Henry I. Miller
b
: to say (something) as a request in a sincere or urgent manner
"Keep your voice down," implored Lupin.J. K. Rowling
… accountability has become a watchword of relief agencies around the world, with new guidelines to help donors know that their aid won't be wasted. Give money, Presidents Bush and Clinton implore, and by implication, leave the rest to professionals.Nancy Gibbs
2
: to ask or beg for (something) earnestly
On this repetition of Mr Mantalini's fatal threat, Madame Mantalini wrung her hands, and implored the interference of Ralph Nickleby …Charles Dickens
To Neapolitans habitually blending pagan and Christian themes, the volcano also became, through its successive manifestations, a personality against whose rages they implored protection from their patron saint …Shirley Hazzard
imploringly adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for implore

beg, entreat, beseech, implore, supplicate, adjure, importune mean to ask urgently.

beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

they begged for help

entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

entreated me to join them

beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

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

supplicate suggests a posture of humility.

with bowed heads they supplicated their Lord

adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

we were adjured to tell the truth

importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

importuning viewers for contributions

Examples of implore in a Sentence

Don't go. I implore you. “Think of the children!” he implored.
Recent Examples on the Web Garner also took a chance to dance with the Radio City Rockettes in December after her longtime friend Reese Witherspoon implored her to visit Radio City in New York City. Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 A lot of that hashtag activism came at the request of TikTok itself, which sent messages to users imploring them to call their representatives. Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2024 More than 250 Hollywood insiders signed an open letter in January imploring the academy to revise its standards to include Jews. Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 The message that appeared for some TikTok users on Thursday, March 7, 2024, imploring them to contact their members of Congress. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024 The page mentioned that a vigil outside the Park Lane Lounge was planned for this past weekend, and also implored Rodriguez’s friends and supporters to share any information that could help the homicide investigation. Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 In a post, the pop star implored eligible voters to head to the polls to support candidates that best align with their interests. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 5 Mar. 2024 New York City itself has tried to stem the tide by going after landlords, but Mayor Eric Adams has been imploring Albany to grant the city more power to respond. Cedar Attanasio, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024 With Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday falling on the same day this year, Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix Bishop John Dolan is imploring the faithful to focus on their relationship with the divine. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'implore.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin; Middle French implorer, from Latin implorare, from in- + plorare to cry out

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of implore was circa 1550

Dictionary Entries Near implore

Cite this Entry

“Implore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/implore. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

implore

verb
im·​plore im-ˈplō(ə)r How to pronounce implore (audio)
-ˈplȯ(ə)r
implored; imploring
: to call upon with a humble request : beseech
implored the manager to give her more responsibility
imploringly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on implore

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