implore

American  

[im-plawr] / ɪmˈplɔr /

verb (used with object)

• implores,
  present (3rd person singular)
• implored,
  past participle,  past
• imploring
  present participle

1. 

   to beg urgently or piteously, as for aid or mercy; beseech; entreat.

   They implored him to go.

2. to beg urgently or piteously for (aid, mercy, pardon, etc.).

   implore forgiveness.

   Synonyms:

   solicit, beg, crave

   Antonyms:

   reject, spurn

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verb (used without object)

• implores,
  present (3rd person singular)
• implored,
  past participle,  past
• imploring
  present participle

1. to make urgent or piteous supplication.

implore British  

/ ɪmˈplɔː /

verb

1. to beg or ask (someone) earnestly (to do something); plead with; beseech

2. to ask earnestly or piteously for; supplicate; beg

   to implore someone's mercy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• imploration
  noun
• implorer
  noun
• imploringness
  noun
• implorable
  adjective
• imploratory
  adjective
• unimplorable
  adjective
• unimplored
  adjective
• imploringly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• imploring
  present
• implored
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• implore
  simple
• implores
  simple
• have implored
  perfect
• has implored
  perfect
• am imploring
  progressive
• are imploring
  progressive
• is imploring
  progressive
• have been imploring
  perfect progressive
• has been imploring
  perfect progressive

Past

• implored
  simple
• had implored
  perfect
• was imploring
  progressive
• were imploring
  progressive
• had been imploring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will implore
  simple
• will have implored
  perfect
• will be imploring
  progressive
• will have been imploring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of implore

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin implōrāre, equivalent to im- “in” ( see im- ¹) + plōrāre “to lament”

Explanation

You might ask your friend for a loan if you're short a few bucks, but if the bank is about to foreclose on your house you'll implore your friend for the money, desperately begging for the cash so you can keep your house. The word implore is often used to describe an urgent request made out of desperation. A man on death row might implore the governor to grant him a last-minute pardon. In the old days, you might have heard the word spoken by someone with lousy aim at a duel — "I implore you not to shoot me, my good man!" Today, this first-person use of the word sounds old-fashioned, although you might still hear it in a period drama.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

implore implores implored imploring

I implore you to encourage her to keep her options open about applying in the United States, as there are more financial aid options.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

Today U.S. allies implore Ukraine for drone help.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026

And here, the study’s authors implore leaders to find a policy solution: Improve water management and reduce groundwater use now, and the world has a tool to slow the rate of sea level rise.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2025

"We implore Sheikh Mohammed and the government of Dubai to hear his pleas and let him come home."

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2025

Remember this, I implore Rhiannon as I look out over the trees, as I catch her breath.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan

He implores Congress to invoke this clause to make a case for new voting rights legislation that can address the post-Callais landscape.

From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2026

Her book implores readers to embrace the struggle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

In the blog post, Gates also implores rich nations to restore funding cuts that the foundation said led to the rise in deaths among children last year.

From Barron's ● Jan. 9, 2026

Moments later, she implores Charlie to hire an “ugly guy” to do his taxes, and she brushes off a $10,000 payday Tallulah gets as “nothing.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2025

"Every class and every individual must help us create the new Reich," Hitler implores.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

As a shopper whose splurges occasionally extend to discounted gadgets and hot dogs, the Costco faithful have implored me to think bigger.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

She implored Moroccan authorities and King Mohammad VI to "do the impossible to bring back our children".

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

This is a topic that is raised in these pages from time to time — most recently by this reader who implored more Americans to start saving early and not to be intimidated by money.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026

Elizabette Guecamburu, a bookkeeper who has a rare neuromuscular disorder, spoke at Monday’s rally and implored the governor to remember the teachings of their shared alma mater Santa Clara University, a Jesuit-led private school.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026

“You won’t put the boy on any lists, will you?” she implored.

From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat

In the following months, Owens bombarded him with texts and emails, imploring him to date her and promising to carry the pregnancy to term if he didn’t respond.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

For years, we have ended the Supreme Court term with our Slate readers and Amicus listeners imploring us: “But what can we do?”

From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2026

But in a way, you were doing exactly that with your friend by imploring him to shift his funds into assets that would yield a return of 8% to 9%, even before inflation.

From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026

Tilson Thomas made a habit of imploring his orchestras and audience members to trust him and “come inside the music,” and his talents and charismatic personality attracted attention and praise worldwide.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026

She rushed over to where I stood and began pulling my hand, imploring me to go see my brother who, she said dramatically, was bleeding to death.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Related Words

• beseech
• plead
• pray
• urge