Plea: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when someone is asking urgently and sincerely for something, often in a legal context or in urgent personal requests.

• She made a heartfelt plea for help after the disaster.
• The defendant entered a plea of not guilty in court.

Used broadly to refer to any form of spoken or written communication that conveys information, opinions, or intentions.

• The witness gave a statement to the police about the incident.
• Her statement on the matter was clear and concise.

Typically used when someone is announcing something formally or officially, often in legal, political, or formal contexts.

• The government made a declaration of emergency after the hurricane.
• The company’s declaration of profits was well-received by investors.

Often used when someone is confidently stating something they believe to be true, usually to make a point or argument.

• His assertion that climate change is real was backed by extensive research.
• She made an assertion of innocence despite the evidence.

A plea is often used in legal settings where someone is asking for mercy or making an earnest appeal.

• The criminal made a plea for leniency from the judge.
• She made a desperate plea for help when she got lost.

Appeal is commonly used when someone is asking for a higher authority to reconsider a decision, or when making an urgent emotional request.

• The lawyer filed an appeal to overturn the conviction.
• The charity made an appeal for donations to help the earthquake victims.

Request is a general term used in everyday situations when asking for something politely.

• She sent a request for more information about the job opening.
• He made a request to speak with the manager.

Petition is usually used when a formal written request is made to an authority or organization, typically signed by multiple people.

• The community submitted a petition to the local council to improve the park.
• They gathered signatures for a petition to change the new law.

This is commonly used in legal contexts or formal requests, often to make a serious or emotional appeal.

• The prisoner made a plea for mercy.
• Her plea for help did not go unnoticed.

This is often used in everyday situations to ask for something desperately or humbly. It can sometimes carry a negative or desperate connotation.

• He begged for forgiveness.
• She begged her parents for more time.

Implore is often used to describe earnest and intense requests, typically when someone is in a desperate or urgent situation.

• He implored her to stay.
• The villagers implored for rain during the drought.

This word is more formal and literary, typically used to imply a more urgent and heartfelt request.

• I beseech you to listen to my plea.
• They beseeched the king for aid.