solicit
Americanverb (used with object)
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to seek for (something) by entreaty, earnest or respectful request, formal application, etc..
He solicited aid from the minister.
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to entreat or petition (someone or some agency).
to solicit the committee for funds.
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to seek to influence or incite to action, especially unlawful or wrong action.
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to offer to have sex with in exchange for money.
verb (used without object)
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to make a petition or request, as for something desired.
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to solicit orders or trade, as for a business.
No soliciting allowed in this building.
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to offer to have sex with someone in exchange for money.
verb
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to make a request, application, or entreaty to (a person for business, support, etc)
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to accost (a person) with an offer of sexual relations in return for money
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to provoke or incite (a person) to do something wrong or illegal
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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solicitsimple
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solicitssimple
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have solicitedperfect
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has solicitedperfect
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am solicitingprogressive
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are solicitingprogressive
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is solicitingprogressive
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have been solicitingperfect progressive
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has been solicitingperfect progressive
Past
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solicitedsimple
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had solicitedperfect
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was solicitingprogressive
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were solicitingprogressive
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had been solicitingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of solicit
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English soliciten, from Middle French solliciter, from Latin sollicitāre “to excite, agitate,” derivative of sollicitus “troubled” ( soll(us) “whole” + -i- -i- + citus, past participle of ciēre “to arouse”)
Explanation
Solicit means to ask for. It is what those people on the street are doing, when they ask, "Do you have a moment to talk about the destruction of the planet?" They are soliciting donations for their cause. Solicit has an official sounding impressiveness to it––doesn't soliciting donations sound better than begging for money? It can also have a more sinister cast. "When the teacher left the room, two girls solicited their friends to throw all the textbooks out the windows, injuring members of the cheer squad below — where they were soliciting signatures for a petition banning smoking in the football locker rooms."
Vocabulary lists containing solicit
Instead of "Said": Words for Asking and Offering
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The Tragedy of Macbeth
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Monster
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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:
The agreement includes a 40-day “go-shop” period, during which time LXP Industrial may actively solicit and consider alternative acquisition proposals, the companies noted.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
However, I am connected to a doctor whose name was used to solicit contributions to a hospital.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
California law allows officials to solicit donations to specific charitable or governmental causes when the payments are reported within 30 days.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
This means the same physical shelter and the same dogs are used by several different accounts to solicit money.
From BBC ● May 3, 2026
They tried the sentence again, reading together out loud: “‘For the most wild yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief.’”
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
The president directed his Truth Social followers to a website for the library that solicits donations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026
Two-days in-office gets a high-five, while three solicits a knowing shrug.
From Salon ● Apr. 30, 2025
The church’s corporate arm, the Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solicits donations for humanitarian relief with promises that all donations are used to help those in need.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 1, 2023
It’s an appalling moment, and Stimson unambiguously solicits Oppenheimer’s contempt as well as the viewer’s; watch that scene in a packed house and you’ll hear the audience scoff as one.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2023
But in all his political promotions, to his honour be it remembered, that he never solicits nor asks of Government any places of office for his relations.
From Two Addresses One to the Gentlemen of Whitby and the other, to the Protestant Clergy by Rigby, Nicholas
The hospital should absolutely inform physicians if their names and likenesses are being employed in this way, and they should also be told in advance what patients will be solicited in their name.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
A few months later, records show, Socolow solicited feedback from another member of BP’s management.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
“When Mendenhall solicited funds from investors, he often made lofty promises about the returns these investors would receive,” Kehoe said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
He called out “narco-politicians” by name, and fired police who solicited bribes.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
Not only was Cassius receptive to advice, he solicited it.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
His study aimed to clarify the ethical challenges of identifying, soliciting and even acknowledging patient donors.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
All the donors contacted gave at least $1 million and some acted as bundlers for the campaign, soliciting big checks from other donors in addition to their own contributions.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026
We have seen evidence that Black Trans Alliance is still soliciting donations from the public, despite being struck off by Companies House in 2025 for failing to submit its accounts.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
“Maybe they’re on a cruise somewhere, or in Hawaii or some other great place. We want those pictures,” Levin said in a video soliciting images from the public.
From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2026
I hadn’t forgotten the accusing look Miss Buckner had given me when she saw me with the petty cash—as if I had been doing something untoward, soliciting favors from Mr. Haber.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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.
