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 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 However, some implored Biden to use his bully pulpit more forcefully. Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2024 President Joe Biden has repeatedly implored Congress to give him more resources to deal with the situation at the southern border, assigning blame on Republicans for not doing more. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 15 Feb. 2024 An investigative reporter implored us to file our taxes and to keep our personal lives in order—never give the rich and powerful a way to undercut your journalism. Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2024 Farmers prayed to the creatures for good weather, erecting temples during droughts to implore the dragon to grant rain and fruitful harvests. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Feb. 2024 Johnson — who in 1974 became the first Black woman to appear on the cover of American Vogue, and is now performing in her one-woman Off-Broadway show In Vogue to mark the 50th anniversary of her historic cover — implores older women to never give up hope at finding their happy ending. Liz McNeil, Peoplemag, 27 Jan. 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 19 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!