entreat
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to ask (a person) earnestly; beg or plead with; implore
-
to make an earnest request or petition for (something)
-
an archaic word for treat
Synonym Usage
See appeal.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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entreatmentnoun
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unentreatedadjective
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nonentreatingadjective
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nonentreatinglyadverb
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entreatinglyadverb
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unentreatingadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have entreatedperfect
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has entreatedperfect 3rd person singular
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is entreatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been entreatingperfect progressive
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entreatssingular 3rd person
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am entreatingprogressive 1st person singular
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are entreatingprogressive
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has been entreatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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entreatingparticiple
Past
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had entreatedperfect
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was entreatingprogressive singular
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had been entreatingperfect progressive
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entreatedsimple
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entreatedparticiple
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were entreatingprogressive plural
Future
Etymology
Origin of entreat
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English entreten, from Middle French entrait(i)er; see origin at en- 1, treat
Explanation
To entreat is to ask for something that is really important, like when you entreat the jury to spare your life. The verb entreat implies that the person doing the entreating is really serious about what has to happen. Maybe it's even a matter of life and death, like when parents entreat their children to never drive drunk. Synonyms for entreat are plead, beg, beseech, and implore — all of these are words not to be used lightly. They carry more weight than ask and request.
Vocabulary lists containing entreat
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Romeo and Juliet
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Optimists and happy warriors entreat us to lean on each other to get through these grim times, insisting that community is our strength.
From Salon • Jan. 8, 2026
To that end, I entreat Afghanistan’s friends in the West to intercede for us in Washington and in New York, with Congress and with the Biden administration.
From Washington Post • Aug. 18, 2021
The signatories entreat him to rapidly expand testing to counter huge lines and speed up test results which can take two weeks.
From The Guardian • Aug. 8, 2020
Muezzins in the West Bank and Kuwait entreat the faithful to avoid the mosque and instead pray at home.
From New York Times • Mar. 22, 2020
My baby, my blood, my honest truth: entreat me not to leave thee, for whither thou goest I will go.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
