implore

Implore is a verb meaning to beg someone earnestly or desperately to do something; to entreat, plead, or supplicate with urgency. It is transitive and typically takes a direct object referring to the person being appealed to and an infinitive clause indicating the action sought: “I implore you to reconsider,” or “The villagers implored the king to spare them.” It can also be used with a deity or authority: “They implored God for mercy.”

Etymology: The word comes from Middle English via Old French, ultimately from Latin implorare, meaning “to invoke by supplication,” from in- “upon” and plorare “to cry out.” The sense of calling upon someone else for aid or mercy developed in English usage.

Usage and nuance: Impl ore conveys heightened emotion and formality compared with beg or plead. It is more common in formal writing, literary contexts, or religious speech, and less typical in casual conversation. The standard construction is “implore someone to do something” (for example, “I implore you to reconsider”). “Implore that” appears in archaic or ceremonial styles. Synonyms include entreat, beseech, and supplicate; antonyms include ignore or refuse.

Related terms: The noun form is imploration or imploring; the person who implores is an implorer. See also related phrases such as “solemn entreaty” and “supplication.”