pleadings

noun

plural of pleading
as in pleas
an earnest request coldhearted tourists pointedly ignoring the pleadings of the city's many street urchins

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pleadings The Times stands by our journalism, and the president’s legal pleadings will not change that or deter further reporting. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 28 July 2026 Jain said Jackson has not been formally served with any pleadings, and his representatives were never contacted by Mayers' team over the suit. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 1 May 2026 His firm twice praised the 2021 affidavit option in early court pleadings but made no mention in hearings of its disappearance from the new plan. — Craig R. McCoy, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026 In pleadings, lawyers for the state have insisted the Justice Department has no business telling the state how to care for Florida’s children. — Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026 His attorneys have said in legal pleadings that is incorrect. — Nolan Clay, Oklahoman, 27 Feb. 2026 Against 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao and now against Garcia, Barrios couldn’t let his hands go, despite the pleadings of his old trainer, Bob Santos, and new chief second Joe Goossen. — John Whisler, San Antonio Express-News, 22 Feb. 2026 In November, Johnson, fed up with McNamara’s disenchantment and his pleadings for a policy shift toward negotiations, announced that the defense secretary would depart the administration to lead the World Bank—in effect, firing him. — Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025 Thankfully, then-general manager Scott Howson and director of amateur scouting Paul Castron listened to Riley’s pleadings. — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleadings
  1. pleas
  2. appeals
  3. prayers
  4. petitions
Noun
  • For good measure, Pabst’s social media updates took a tongue-in-cheek approach that may have actually convinced people the posts were more playful than actual pleas for help.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The Valkyries’ coaching staff’s pleas to the officiating crew for a flagrant foul call were not successful.
    — Marisa Ingemi, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of pleas
Noun
  • Keep photos, serial numbers, maintenance receipts and technician notes because these only strengthen claims and appeals.
    — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Habeas petitions are often filed as a last resort and to protect against unlawful confinement after appeals are exhausted, as happened after Maxwell’s conviction and sentencing.
    — Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of appeals
Noun
  • Guests were encouraged to offer prayers by sprinkling tobacco, sage, white cedar, and sweetgrass on the fire.
    — Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • By early October, fears intensified after Parton’s sister, Freida Parton, took to Facebook and asked fans for their prayers.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of prayers
Noun
  • More than a thousand habeas petitions were filed in Minnesota courts between December and February (compared with only seventy-three habeas petitions during the previous year).
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In addition, the parliamentarian refers to the appropriate committee legislation from the other chamber, communications from other branches of government and state and local governments, and petitions from private citizens.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of petitions

Browse Nearby Words

pleading (for)
pleadings
pleading (to)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pleadings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleadings. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All