implorate

Implorate is a verb meaning to beg earnestly or entreat, especially to request aid, mercy, or pardon. It is typically used as a transitive verb, taking a person or thing as the recipient, and can be followed by an infinitive clause (implore someone to do something) or by a direct object (implore mercy). The sense emphasizes urgency and heartfelt pleading, and the word is generally found in formal, literary, or religious contexts rather than everyday speech.

Etymology and history suggest that implorate comes from Latin implorare, meaning to invoke by prayer or to beg. The Latin form combines in- “upon” with plorare, related to crying out, and the English verb entered usage in the Early Modern period. Today it remains relatively uncommon outside more formal or archaic prose.

Usage and nuance distinguish implorate from synonyms such as entreat, plead, or beseech. While all convey a request, implorate often implies a stronger emotional appeal or a sense of desperation. It is more likely to appear in historical narratives, poetry, religious rhetoric, or solemn discourse. In contemporary prose, writers may prefer more commonplace terms unless a heightened tone is desired.

Variants and related forms include imploratory (adjective), describing or relating to pleading, and imploration (less common noun form for the act of imploring). An antiquated or rare noun form is implorer, referring to one who pleads, though this usage is infrequent in modern writing.

Examples: The villagers implored the king for mercy. She implored him to stay, her voice sore with worry.