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Synonyms

ask for

British  

verb

  1. to try to obtain by requesting

    he asked for help

  2. informal (intr) to behave in a provocative manner that is regarded as inviting (trouble)

    she's asking for trouble

    you're asking for it

  3. to ask after

    tell your parents I'm asking for them
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
ask for Idioms  

  1. Also, ask for it. To persist in an action despite the likelihood that it will bring trouble on oneself, as in Speeding as much as he does, he has been asking for a ticket and Mary deserved that low grade; in effect, she asked for it by not studying. [c. 1900] Also see ask for the moon.

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.

Ask for a room located far away from elevators and ice machines, which are constant sources—day and night—of unfamiliar sounds and smells.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Ask for comment, a White House spokesperson said Trump continues to monitor Gaza and the peace plan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

Ask for a printed copy of the sales contract and financing agreement and read it carefully before signing it.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 27, 2025

They also advocate for the power of reality checks, advising to "Reach out to others. Share your concerns. Ask for candid reactions."

From Salon • May 16, 2025

“Feed him. Then call the animal shelter. Ask for Barbara Wolin.”

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein

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.