supplication
0 antonyms and opposites of supplication, grouped by meaning.
Noun — The act of asking for something humbly and earnestly, especially in prayer to God; a request made in this way.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
The act of asking for something humbly and earnestly, especially in prayer to God; a request made in this way.
“The psalm is a supplication for mercy.”
2. noun
A humble, sometimes abject request made to a person in authority.
“Her letters to the governor read less like arguments than supplications.”
How to use supplication
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Formal and largely religious or literary; not used in everyday speech.
Etymology
From Latin supplicatio, from supplicare "to plead humbly", from supplex "kneeling, submissive", literally "bending under".
Full origin of supplication →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between supplication and prayer?
Prayer is any address to God, including praise and thanksgiving. Supplication is specifically the asking part — a humble request for help. Many Christian traditions list supplication as one category of prayer alongside adoration, confession and thanksgiving.
What is the difference between supplication and intercession?
Supplication is asking on your own behalf; intercession is asking on behalf of someone else. Both are forms of petitionary prayer, and the words are often paired in liturgy.
Is supplication used outside religion?
Yes, though rarely and always formally. It describes pleading with someone powerful in a posture of humility, and often carries a faint suggestion of undignified begging.