Pleading — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈplē-diŋ/ plead·ing

Meaning & Definition of Pleading

Pleading (noun)

  1. advocacy of a cause in a court of law
  2. one of the formal usually written allegations and counter allegations made alternately by the parties in a legal action or proceeding
  3. the action or process performed by the parties in presenting such formal allegations until a single point at issue is produced

Pleading (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. asking humbly

    "a pleading husband seeking forgiveness once again from his long-suffering wife"

    similar: beseeching, entreating, imploring, prayerful, soliciting, suppliant, supplicant, supplicating, supplicatory
    related: begging, importunate, insistent, persistent

Pleading (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an earnest request

    "coldhearted tourists pointedly ignoring the pleadings of the city's many street urchins"

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

Pleading (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration

    "can I plead temporary insanity for having made that foolish decision?"

    similar: arguing, asserting, contending, maintaining, reasoning
    related: adducing, citing, mentioning, claiming, insisting, affirming, averring, avouching, avowing, advancing, giving, offering, proposing, submitting, advising, counseling, recommending, suggesting, urging, convincing, persuading, advocating, championing, defending, enforcing, espousing, supporting, explaining, justifying, rationalizing, considering, debating, discussing, confuting, countering, disproving, rebutting, refuting

Related Entry: Plead (verb)

Plead is a different word from Pleading. The synonyms below are for plead, not for pleading.

  1. to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration

    "can I plead temporary insanity for having made that foolish decision?"

    similar: argue, assert, contend, maintain, reason
    related: adduce, cite, mention, claim, insist, affirm, aver, avouch, avow, advance, give, offer, propose, submit, advise, counsel, recommend, suggest, urge, convince, persuade, advocate, champion, defend, enforce, espouse, support, explain, justify, rationalize, consider, debate, discuss, confute, counter, disprove, rebut, refute

Related Entry: Plead (for) (verb)

Plead (for) is a different word from Pleading. The synonyms below are for plead (for), not for pleading.

  1. to make a request for

    "the children pleaded for a kitten for Christmas"

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

Related Entry: Plead (to) (verb)

Plead (to) is a different word from Pleading. The synonyms below are for plead (to), not for pleading.

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

    "weary of charities that are always pleading to people of modest means to contribute even more than they already have"

    similar: appeal (to), beg, beseech, besiege, conjure, entreat, impetrate, implore, importune, petition, 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: Pleaded (verb)

Pleaded is a different word from Pleading. The synonyms below are for pleaded, not for pleading.

  1. to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration

    "can I plead temporary insanity for having made that foolish decision?"

    similar: argued, asserted, contended, maintained, reasoned
    related: adduced, cited, mentioned, claimed, insisted, affirmed, averred, avouched, avowed, advanced, gave, offered, proposed, submitted, advised, counseled, recommended, suggested, urged, convinced, persuaded, advocated, championed, defended, enforced, espoused, supported, explained, justified, rationalized, considered, debated, discussed, confuted, countered, disproved, rebutted, refuted

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Pleading

The most common words with a similar meaning to Pleading:

beseeching, entreating, imploring, prayerful, soliciting, suppliant, supplicant, supplicating, supplicatory, adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, petition, plea, prayer, solicitation, suit, suppliance, supplication, arguing, asserting, contending, maintaining, reasoning

Related Words for Pleading

begging, importunate, insistent, persistent, application, requisition, call, claim, demand, insistence, adducing, citing, mentioning, claiming, insisting, affirming, averring, avouching, avowing, advancing, giving, offering, proposing, submitting, advising, counseling, recommending, suggesting, urging, convincing

Origin & Etymology of Pleading

Middle English plaiding, pledynge "arguing, contention, legal dispute," from plaiden, pleden "to contend legally, argue in court, plead" + -ing, -ynge -ing:1

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Pleading

special pleading

Frequently Asked Questions about Pleading

What does "Pleading" mean?

"Pleading" means advocacy of a cause in a court of law. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: advocacy of a cause in a court of law. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Pleading"?

Other words for "Pleading" include beseeching, entreating, imploring, prayerful, soliciting, suppliant, supplicant and supplicating. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Pleading" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Pleading"?

There are 75 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Pleading". Common alternatives include beseeching, entreating, imploring, prayerful, soliciting, suppliant, supplicant, supplicating, supplicatory and adjuration.

How do you use "Pleading" in a sentence?

Examples of "Pleading" in a sentence: "a pleading husband seeking forgiveness once again from his long-suffering wife"; "coldhearted tourists pointedly ignoring the pleadings of the city's many street urchins"; "can I plead temporary insanity for having made that foolish decision?".

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

"Pleading" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Pleading"?

"Pleading" is pronounced /ˈplē-diŋ/ and divided into syllables as plead·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Pleading"?

"Pleading" comes from Middle English plaiding, pledynge "arguing, contention, legal dispute," from plaiden, pleden "to contend legally, argue in court, plead" + -ing, -ynge -ing:1. First known use: 14th century.

What is another word for "Pleading" meaning "asking humbly"?

When "Pleading" (adjective) means asking humbly, synonyms include beseeching, entreating, imploring, prayerful, soliciting and suppliant.