implore

American  

[im-plawr] / ɪmˈplɔr /

verb (used with object)

• implores,
  present (3rd person singular)
• implored,
  past participle,  past
• imploring
  present participle

1. 

   to beg urgently or piteously, as for aid or mercy; beseech; entreat.

   They implored him to go.

2. to beg urgently or piteously for (aid, mercy, pardon, etc.).

   implore forgiveness.

   Synonyms:

   solicit, beg, crave

   Antonyms:

   reject, spurn

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verb (used without object)

• implores,
  present (3rd person singular)
• implored,
  past participle,  past
• imploring
  present participle

1. to make urgent or piteous supplication.

implore British  

/ ɪmˈplɔː /

verb

1. to beg or ask (someone) earnestly (to do something); plead with; beseech

2. to ask earnestly or piteously for; supplicate; beg

   to implore someone's mercy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• imploration
  noun
• implorer
  noun
• imploringness
  noun
• implorable
  adjective
• imploratory
  adjective
• unimplorable
  adjective
• unimplored
  adjective
• imploringly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• imploring
  present
• implored
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• implore
  simple
• implores
  simple
• have implored
  perfect
• has implored
  perfect
• am imploring
  progressive
• are imploring
  progressive
• is imploring
  progressive
• have been imploring
  perfect progressive
• has been imploring
  perfect progressive

Past

• implored
  simple
• had implored
  perfect
• was imploring
  progressive
• were imploring
  progressive
• had been imploring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will implore
  simple
• will have implored
  perfect
• will be imploring
  progressive
• will have been imploring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of implore

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin implōrāre, equivalent to im- “in” ( see im- ¹) + plōrāre “to lament”

Explanation

You might ask your friend for a loan if you're short a few bucks, but if the bank is about to foreclose on your house you'll implore your friend for the money, desperately begging for the cash so you can keep your house. The word implore is often used to describe an urgent request made out of desperation. A man on death row might implore the governor to grant him a last-minute pardon. In the old days, you might have heard the word spoken by someone with lousy aim at a duel — "I implore you not to shoot me, my good man!" Today, this first-person use of the word sounds old-fashioned, although you might still hear it in a period drama.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

implore implores implored imploring

"On this day of celebration, let us abandon every desire for conflict, domination and power, and implore the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged by wars," he said.

From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2026

And as corny as that may seem, I implore you: If you have even one microscopic iota of curiosity, see this film.

From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2026

Today U.S. allies implore Ukraine for drone help.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026

We implore you to join us in concrete action:

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026

He dispatched Jocasta’s brother Creon to Delphi to implore the god’s help.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

“Look, Jerry, look,” Alice implores as the first story begins.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

He meets his slightly older schoolmate Olympia, one of Eggers’ most beguiling creations, when she implores him to scrawl scatological bathroom graffiti on a playground structure in Old-English typography.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026

He implores Congress to invoke this clause to make a case for new voting rights legislation that can address the post-Callais landscape.

From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2026

Slumped in a chair moments after losing his light-middleweight world title at the Vale Sport Arena, Cardiff, the Swansea native's wife Emma gently implores her bloodied partner to give up the sport.

From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026

"Every class and every individual must help us create the new Reich," Hitler implores.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Spencer said that during a separate call he implored Charles not to force William and Harry to walk behind their mother’s coffin during a public funeral procession.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

The 9th Circuit wagered that only two justices were likely to side with the administration, while the 7th merely implored the high court to weigh in.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

This is a topic that is raised in these pages from time to time — most recently by this reader who implored more Americans to start saving early and not to be intimidated by money.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026

"Do not be afraid to take the path out of this war. That is the main thing that is required of you now," he implored.

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026

But that seemed to be okay with April, who implored Terryl to go.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

But police are imploring people to trust accredited sources during emergencies.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

For years, we have ended the Supreme Court term with our Slate readers and Amicus listeners imploring us: “But what can we do?”

From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2026

Rob Murray sent videos of Rice to programs across the country, imploring their recruiters to come see the sweet lefty swing for themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

But in a way, you were doing exactly that with your friend by imploring him to shift his funds into assets that would yield a return of 8% to 9%, even before inflation.

From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026

They twitched like a beggar’s, he recalls — her fingertips drummed — weakly imploring, though her eyes had already closed.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

Related Words

• beseech
• plead
• pray
• urge