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

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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.

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Example Sentences

"He will be deeply missed by all of us, and we ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult loss."

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026

“There’s nothing more you can ask for… It’s honestly a beautiful thing.”

From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026

Checkout sites from a fraudulent website will often ask for payment in the form of cryptocurrency, peer-to-peer payment systems or cash apps.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

I did not ask for a chatbot inside my email inbox.

From Slate • Jun. 10, 2026

“No. It’s not that. I just don’t want to be selfish. If people know I’m busy but still ask for my help, it must mean it’s super important. They wouldn’t ask otherwise.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• assert
• call for
• claim
• confront
• defy
• demand
• denounce
• impose
• require
• test
• try