Soliciting — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective noun /sə-ˈli-sət/ so·lic·it

Meaning & Definition of Soliciting

Soliciting (verb)

  1. to approach (someone) with a request or plea
  2. to make petition to, entreat
  3. to try to obtain (something) by usually urgent requests or pleas

Soliciting (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. asking humbly

    "a soliciting tone is better when asking for lenient treatment you don't deserve"

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

Soliciting (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in request, pleading

    similar: appeal, begging, beseeching, entreaty, imploring, petition, pleading, request, suit, supplication, evensong, matins, vespers, collect, grace, invocation, litany, requiescat, thanksgiving, orison, prayer

Soliciting (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to go around and approach (people) with a request for opinions or information

    "solicited several opinions about which job he should accept"

    similar: canvassing, interviewing, polling, surveying
    related: circularizing, interrogating, questioning, feeling (out), sounding (out)
    near: reporting

  2. to make a request for

    "always ready to solicit donations for a charity"

    similar: asking (for), bespeaking, calling (for), desiring, pleading (for), questing, requesting, seeking, speaking (for), suing (for)
    related: applying (for), begging (for), claiming, clamoring (for), importuning, urging, wishing (for), demanding, enjoining, exacting, insisting (on), petitioning (for), pressing (for), requiring, requisitioning, inviting, invoking

  3. to make a request of

    "solicited him to join the team"

    similar: asking, hitting (up), requesting, calling on
    related: appealing (to), begging, beseeching, conjuring, entreating, imploring, importuning, inviting, invoking, petitioning, pleading (to), praying, supplicating, demanding, enjoining, exacting, pressing, requiring
    near: coercing, compelling, constraining, forcing, obliging, requiring

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

    "solicit the President for relief funds"

    similar: appealing (to), begging, beseeching, besieging, conjuring, entreating, impetrating, imploring, importuning, petitioning, pleading (to), praying, supplicating, calling on
    related: bludging (chiefly Australian & New Zealand), cadging, mooching, sponging, asking, desiring, invoking, requesting, suing, claiming, coercing, commanding, compelling, demanding, forcing, insisting, requiring
    near: hinting, implying, intimating, suggesting, appeasing, conciliating, gratifying, mollifying, obliging, pacifying, placating, pleasing, satisfying, comforting, consoling, contenting, quieting

  5. to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage

    "how many men have been solicited into purchasing bogus aids for male enhancement by shameless appeals to their vanity?"

    similar: alluring, baiting, beguiling, betraying, decoying, enticing, leading on, luring, seducing, tempting
    related: drawing in, inveigling, persuading, roping (in), snowing, catching, enmeshing, ensnaring, entrapping, meshing, snaring, tangling, trapping, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, fascinating, magnetizing, wiling
    near: alerting, cautioning, forewarning, warding (off), warning, driving (away or off), repulsing, turning away

Related Entry: Solicit (verb)

Solicit is a different word from Soliciting. The synonyms below are for solicit, not for soliciting.

  1. to go around and approach (people) with a request for opinions or information

    "solicited several opinions about which job he should accept"

    similar: canvass, interview, poll, survey
    related: circularize, interrogate, question, feel (out), sound (out)
    near: report

  2. to make a request for

    "always ready to solicit donations for a charity"

    similar: ask (for), bespeak, call (for), desire, plead (for), quest, request, seek, 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

  3. to make a request of

    "solicited him to join the team"

    similar: ask, hit (up), request, call on
    related: appeal (to), beg, beseech, conjure, entreat, implore, importune, invite, invoke, petition, plead (to), pray, supplicate, demand, enjoin, exact, press, require
    near: coerce, compel, constrain, force, oblige, require

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

    "solicit the President for relief funds"

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

  5. to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage

    "how many men have been solicited into purchasing bogus aids for male enhancement by shameless appeals to their vanity?"

    similar: allure, bait, beguile, betray, decoy, entice, lead on, lure, seduce, tempt
    related: draw in, inveigle, persuade, rope (in), snow, catch, enmesh, ensnare, entrap, mesh, snare, tangle, trap, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, fascinate, magnetize, wile
    near: alert, caution, forewarn, ward (off), warn, drive (away or off), repulse, turn away

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Soliciting

The most common words with a similar meaning to Soliciting:

beseeching, entreating, imploring, pleading, prayerful, suppliant, supplicant, supplicating, supplicatory, appeal, begging, entreaty, petition, request, suit, supplication, evensong, matins, vespers, collect, grace, invocation, litany, requiescat, thanksgiving, orison, prayer, canvassing, interviewing, polling, surveying, asking (for), bespeaking, calling (for), desiring, pleading (for), questing, requesting, seeking, speaking (for)

Related Words for Soliciting

importunate, insistent, persistent, circularizing, interrogating, questioning, feeling (out), sounding (out), applying (for), begging (for), claiming, clamoring (for), urging, wishing (for), demanding, enjoining, exacting, insisting (on), petitioning (for), pressing (for), requiring, requisitioning, inviting, invoking, pressing, bludging, cadging, mooching, sponging, suing

Near Antonyms of Soliciting

reporting, coercing, compelling, constraining, forcing, obliging, requiring, hinting, implying, intimating, suggesting, appeasing, conciliating, gratifying, mollifying, pacifying, placating, pleasing, satisfying, comforting, consoling, contenting, quieting, alerting, cautioning, forewarning, warding (off), warning, driving (away or off), repulsing

Word Forms of Soliciting

Inflections: solicited, solicits

Origin & Etymology of Soliciting

Middle English, to disturb, promote, from Anglo-French solliciter, from Latin sollicitare to disturb, from sollicitus anxious, from sollus whole (from Oscan; akin to Greek holos whole) + citus, past participle of ciēre to move safe, -kinesis

First known use: 15th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Soliciting

What does "Soliciting" mean?

"Soliciting" means to approach (someone) with a request or plea. As an a verb, an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: to approach (someone) with a request or plea. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Soliciting"?

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

What are different ways to say "Soliciting"?

There are 117 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Soliciting". Common alternatives include beseeching, entreating, imploring, pleading, prayerful, suppliant, supplicant, supplicating, supplicatory and appeal.

How do you use "Soliciting" in a sentence?

Examples of "Soliciting" in a sentence: "a soliciting tone is better when asking for lenient treatment you don't deserve"; "solicited several opinions about which job he should accept"; "always ready to solicit donations for a charity".

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

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

How do you pronounce "Soliciting"?

"Soliciting" is pronounced /sə-ˈli-sət/ and divided into syllables as so·lic·it.

What is the origin of the word "Soliciting"?

"Soliciting" comes from Middle English, to disturb, promote, from Anglo-French solliciter, from Latin sollicitare to disturb, from sollicitus anxious, from sollus whole (from Oscan; akin to Greek holos whole) + citus, past participle of ciēre to move safe, -kinesis. First known use: 15th centuryt.

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

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