entreat

American  

[en-treet] / ɛnˈtrit /

Archaic, intreat

verb (used with object)

entreats, present (3rd person singular) entreated, past participle, past entreating present participle

1. to ask (a person) earnestly; beseech; implore; beg.

   to entreat the judge for mercy.

   Synonyms:

   solicit, sue, importune, pray

2. to ask earnestly for (something).

   He entreated help in his work.

---

verb (used without object)

entreats, present (3rd person singular) entreated, past participle, past entreating present participle

1. to make an earnest request or petition.

entreat British  

/ ɪnˈtriːt /

verb

1. to ask (a person) earnestly; beg or plead with; implore

2. to make an earnest request or petition for (something)

3. an archaic word for treat

---

Synonym Usage

See appeal.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• entreatment
  noun
• nonentreating
  adjective
• unentreated
  adjective
• unentreating
  adjective
• entreatingly
  adverb
• nonentreatingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• entreating
  present
• entreated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• entreat
  simple
• entreats
  simple
• have entreated
  perfect
• has entreated
  perfect
• am entreating
  progressive
• are entreating
  progressive
• is entreating
  progressive
• have been entreating
  perfect progressive
• has been entreating
  perfect progressive

Past

• entreated
  simple
• had entreated
  perfect
• was entreating
  progressive
• were entreating
  progressive
• had been entreating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will entreat
  simple
• will have entreated
  perfect
• will be entreating
  progressive
• will have been entreating
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

entreat entreats entreated entreating

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

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

Likewise, he says he often gets impatient with people who entreat him to sign many items of memorabilia — most of which he believes will wind up sold online.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 13, 2017

So please, I entreat you, send your colorful words away.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 3, 2015

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

In the story of Esther, Mordecai entreats his niece to step into her Jewishness to prevent atrocities from happening.

From Salon ● Mar. 15, 2025

Corgan and company plan to release the album in three parts, and the first glimpse, “Beguiled,” entreats the listener to “return the faith” over a metallic palm-muted riff reminiscent of the band’s old days.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 12, 2022

“Convert your Le Bijou apartment into a private health center,” entreats the company’s website.

From Slate ● Apr. 15, 2020

And, though he doesn’t grapple with it explicitly, Sloss seems to understand it: rather than risk relaying his friend’s riffs in his own voice, he entreats crowd members to trust her judgment.

From The New Yorker ● Nov. 8, 2019

So many tickets sell that after Uncle Al entreats the crowd to shift closer together for the fourth time, it becomes clear that this won’t be enough.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

“Confirm my nominees to the Federal Reserve, which plays a critical role in fighting inflation,” the president entreated.

From New York Times ● Mar. 2, 2022

The prosecutor entreated the jury to hold the defendants “accountable not only for what they did but why they did it.”

From Washington Times ● Feb. 21, 2022

He repeatedly entreated the chair umpire to tell the crowd not to erupt in jubilation when he missed a first serve.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2022

Early in the night, Styles entreated the crowd to have as much fun as possible and to be whoever they wanted to be.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 19, 2021

He entreated me again to tell him of the events, now no mirth in his demeanor.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

That prompted the owner of Bookshop Santa Cruz, another local landmark, to print T-shirts and bumper stickers entreating fellow residents to “Keep Santa Cruz Weird.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 7, 2023

Afterward, Baekje turned its energy to upsetting the balance of power on the Korean peninsula by entreating Silla to rise against Goguryeo, its protector and overlord.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023

“Come on, come,” the man can be heard entreating.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 17, 2022

He wrote a letter to the company’s directors recounting his contributions and entreating them not to take his house.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 11, 2021

“Lumahwoooooof Cassiopeia looked up at her with wide, entreating eyes. The howling jostled Penelope out of her thoughts. She realized Lady Constance was still waiting for an answer. “Of course, Lady Constance,” she said, flustered.

From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood