plead for help

Meanings

1. 1phraseintransitive

   To ask someone strongly and emotionally to give you help.

   Grammar: No object after 'plead'; the person you ask is shown with 'to': plead to someone for help.

   Patterns

   • plead for help
   • plead with someone for help
   • plead to someone for help

   The family pleaded for help after the flood destroyed their home.

   She was pleading for help, but no one in the crowd moved.

   He pleaded with the doctors for help, but they had done all they could.

2. 2phraseintransitive

   To make an urgent public request for assistance.

   Grammar: Often used in news reports about disasters or emergencies.

   Patterns

   • plead for help from someone
   • plead for international help

   The mayor pleaded for help from the national government.

   Rescue teams pleaded for help as the fires spread.

Common combinations

plead with someone for help

The child pleaded with his teacher for help.

plead for help from the government

Villagers pleaded for help from the government after the storm.

desperately plead for help

She desperately pleaded for help on the phone.

plead for help online

He pleaded for help online and strangers sent money.

be forced to plead for help

The hospital was forced to plead for help when supplies ran out.

Synonyms and how they differ

beg for help

Stronger and more informal; it suggests a more humble, desperate request.

appeal for help

More formal and less emotional; common in official statements and news.

call for help

Neutral; it can mean simply shouting or asking for assistance.

Opposites

Word family

plea noun

An urgent or emotional request.

pleading adjective

Showing that someone is asking strongly for something, as in 'a pleading look'.

pleadingly adverb

In a way that shows a strong, emotional request.

Commonly confused: plead for help or plead guilty?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “plead for help”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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