supplication

8 synonyms for supplication, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — The act of asking for something humbly and earnestly, especially in prayer to God; a request made in this way.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

petition prayer appeal

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

plea begging

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

entreaty invocation importuning

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.”

plea entreaty petition prayer appeal invocation

2. noun

A humble, sometimes abject request made to a person in authority.

“Her letters to the governor read less like arguments than supplications.”

entreaty begging importuning

How to use supplication

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

in supplication prayer and supplication hands raised in supplication humble supplication

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.

People also searched

appeal prayer petition begging plea invocation importuning entreaty

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of supplication