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
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.
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.
Today U.S. allies implore Ukraine for drone help.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 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
"Darkness has no power where light arrives, and therefore we implore everyone to be that light in their surroundings. Don't allow evil to come. The best way to banish evil is to shine a light."
From BBC • Dec. 15, 2025
And here, the study’s authors implore leaders to find a policy solution: Improve water management and reduce groundwater use now, and the world has a tool to slow the rate of sea level rise.
From Salon • Jul. 28, 2025
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
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.
