implore
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to beg or ask (someone) earnestly (to do something); plead with; beseech
-
to ask earnestly or piteously for; supplicate; beg
to implore someone's mercy
Other Word Forms
- implorable adjective
- imploration noun
- imploratory adjective
- implorer noun
- imploringly adverb
- imploringness noun
- unimplorable adjective
- unimplored adjective
Etymology
Origin of implore
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin implōrāre, equivalent to im- “in” ( 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.
Vocabulary lists containing implore
The Diary of Anne Frank
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List 2
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"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
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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.
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
In fact, I implore you to rent somewhere in your preferred location and see if the area suits you.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 14, 2026
I implore you to say nothing to your family yet, but to send one word of hope through Laurie to,
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
