beseech
Americanverb (used with object)
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beseeches,
present (3rd person singular)
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beseeched,
past participle, past
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besought,
past participle, past
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beseeching
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
beseeches,
present (3rd person singular)
-
beseeched,
past participle, past
-
besought,
past participle, past
-
beseeching
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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beseechernoun
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beseechingnessnoun
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beseechingadjective
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unbeseechingadjective
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beseechinglyadverb
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unbeseechinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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beseechsimple
-
beseechessimple
-
have beseechedperfect
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have besoughtperfect
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has beseechedperfect
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has besoughtperfect
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am beseechingprogressive
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are beseechingprogressive
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is beseechingprogressive
-
have been beseechingperfect progressive
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has been beseechingperfect progressive
Past
-
beseechedsimple
-
besoughtsimple
-
had beseechedperfect
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had besoughtperfect
-
was beseechingprogressive
-
were beseechingprogressive
-
had been beseechingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of beseech
before 1100; Middle English bisechen, Old English besēcan. See be-, seek
Explanation
If you're begging for something but you want to sound formal and a little old-fashioned, say "I beseech you!" It really captures how urgent and desperate you are, yet perhaps saves a shred of your dignity. Beseech sounds a little like seek, which is appropriate. To beseech is to seek for something, or for permission. It is commonly used when people have an urgent request of clergy, or of a formal elder. It definitely adds dramatic undertones to whatever you're talking about. When your very life is on the line, it's your last hope, and you have nowhere else to turn, it's time to start beseeching.
Vocabulary lists containing beseech
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Instead of "Said": Words for Asking and Offering
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"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act III
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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.
See Examples For:
Reflecting his deep interest in religion and spirituality, above the door is inscribed the prayer: "Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord."
From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026
“I beseech you to control him, if you can.”
From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2023
"I beseech you to control him if you can. If you can't, I will."
From Reuters ● Nov. 6, 2023
Engoron later told Kise again, "I beseech you to control him if you can."
From Salon ● Nov. 6, 2023
“If I should die, I beseech my lord to see that my letters are delivered.”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Tormented by spiritual agony and the systemic lupus that would kill her at 39, O’Connor, a lifelong Catholic, beseeches him: “I long for grace,” she cries.
From New York Times ● May 2, 2024
The IRS beseeches taxpayers to avoid paper like the plague: Do not file paper returns and do not ask for a paper refund check if you want timely action.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 29, 2022
TV reporter Bruce Nolan, who beseeches God for divine intervention after he loses a job promotion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2019
As in the ’33 Kong, Carl Denham beseeches his leading lady to scream, but rather than a Fay Wray shriek, Pitts offers a warrior’s cry—one that echoes Kong’s.
From Slate ● Nov. 8, 2018
If the dead can appear to the living, Lourdes beseeches God through tears, allow Victor to show himself so she can say good-bye.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
"The year of 2024 demands your response - from everyone in the world," he beseeched delegates when he spoke from the top podium.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2024
He beseeched the U.S. government to dip into the millions of dollars Congress annually allocates to compensate victims of U.S. attacks.
From Salon ● Feb. 1, 2024
The United Nations, aid groups and Israeli human rights groups have beseeched Israel to allow water and emergency deliveries of fuel to flow into the Gaza Strip.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 15, 2023
“Please put an end to this,” a viewer from Roseburg, Ore., beseeched the federal watchdog organization.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2023
She went to the Maid and beseeched her to lend her courage to Arya and Sansa, to guard them in their innocence.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
I also besought Michael Harrison for his insights.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2024
When the Fire Department ordered him to take it down, Van Meter besought a higher civic judgment — and lo!
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2022
As a result, JWST’s development was besought by years of delays and setbacks, causing the project’s budget to grow to nearly $10 billion.
From The Verge ● Jul. 11, 2022
Determined, she took the train to Topeka and besought the state attorney general, also to no avail.
From Slate ● Sep. 7, 2021
Then, turning to him, “Oh, do let’s go back, Bernard,” she besought; “I do so hate it here.”
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
Mr. Xi’s restraint, by contrast, made it appear as if he viewed Mr. Trump as the beseeching party in the relationship.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
Little wonder the local community is beseeching the heavens for rain.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2025
We passed multiple radar speed signs, declaiming mph numbers, beseeching drivers to slow down.
From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2025
Business and union leaders joined in publicly and privately, beseeching him not to go down this idiotic road.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2025
Just a little more beseeching, a few amens, and we’d head home for cold pigeon pie and sour pickles.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
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.
