Petition — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /pə-ˈti-shən/ pe·ti·tion

Meaning & Definition of Petition

Petition (noun)

  1. a formal written request made to an authority or organized body (such as a court)
  2. a written request or call for change signed by many people in support of a shared cause or concern
  3. an earnest request, entreaty

Petition (verb)

  1. to make a request to (someone); especially, to make a formal written request to (an authority)
  2. to make a request; especially, to make a formal written request

Petition (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an earnest request

    "a flurry of petitions from eating and drinking establishments to be exempt from the new antismoking regulations"

    similar: adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, plea, pleading, prayer, solicitation, suit, suppliance, supplication
    related: application, requisition, call, claim, demand, insistence

Petition (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner

    "petitioned the judge to be excused from jury duty for financial hardship"

    similar: appeal (to), beg, beseech, besiege, conjure, entreat, impetrate, implore, importune, plead (to), pray, solicit, supplicate, call on
    related: bludge (chiefly Australian & New Zealand), cadge, mooch, sponge, ask, desire, invoke, request, claim, coerce, command, compel, demand, force, insist, require
    near: hint, imply, intimate, suggest, appease, conciliate, gratify, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, please, satisfy, comfort, console, content, quiet

Related Entry: Petition (for) (verb)

Petition (for) is a different word from Petition. The synonyms below are for petition (for), not for petition.

  1. as in require, insist (on)

    similar: demand, enjoin, exact, insist (on), press (for), require, requisition, apply (for), beg (for), claim, clamor (for), importune, urge, wish (for), invite, invoke, ask (for), bespeak, call (for), desire, plead (for), quest, request, seek, solicit, speak (for), sue (for)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Petition

The most common words with a similar meaning to Petition:

adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, plea, pleading, prayer, solicitation, suit, suppliance, supplication, appeal (to), beg, beseech, besiege, conjure, entreat, impetrate, implore, importune, plead (to), pray, solicit, supplicate, call on

Related Words for Petition

application, requisition, call, claim, demand, insistence, bludge, cadge, mooch, sponge, ask, invoke, request, coerce, command, compel, force, insist, require

Near Antonyms of Petition

hint, imply, intimate, suggest, appease, conciliate, gratify, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, please, satisfy, comfort, console, content, quiet

Word Forms of Petition

Inflections: petitions, petitioned, petitioning

Derived words: petitionary (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Petition

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin petition-, petitio, from petere to seek, request feather

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Petition

Words & Phrases Containing Petition

counterpetition

Frequently Asked Questions about Petition

What does "Petition" mean?

"Petition" means a formal written request made to an authority or organized body (such as a court). As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a formal written request made to an authority or organized body (such as a court). It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Petition"?

Other words for "Petition" include adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, plea and pleading. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Petition" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Petition"?

There are 46 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Petition". Common alternatives include adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, plea, pleading, prayer and solicitation.

How do you use "Petition" in a sentence?

Examples of "Petition" in a sentence: "a flurry of petitions from eating and drinking establishments to be exempt from the new antismoking regulations"; "petitioned the judge to be excused from jury duty for financial hardship".

Is "Petition" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Petition" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Petition" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Petition" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Petition"?

"Petition" is pronounced /pə-ˈti-shən/ and divided into syllables as pe·ti·tion.

What is the origin of the word "Petition"?

"Petition" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin petition-, petitio, from petere to seek, request feather. First known use: 14th century.