noun

supplication

sup-li-KAY-shun

Supplication (noun) means the act of asking for something humbly and earnestly, especially in prayer to God; a request made in this way. Example: “The psalm is a supplication for mercy.”

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."

"He knelt in supplication before the altar."

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

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHumbly begging for something, especially in prayer.

When to use it

Formal and largely religious or literary; not used in everyday speech.

Memory tip

The verb is supplicate and the person is a supplicant; the double p comes from Latin supplex.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

application → intercession supplement →

Common pairings

in supplication prayer and supplication hands raised in supplication humble supplication

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Can you complete this real example?

The psalm is a _____ for mercy.

Etymology

From Latin supplicatio, from supplicare "to plead humbly", from supplex "kneeling, submissive", literally "bending under".

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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plea entreaty petition prayer appeal begging importuning

Related Words

collection application apply appeal request pray prayer petition

Rhymes for supplication

region billion ablation allusion emulsion ideation novation abortion abrasion diffusion elocution extension

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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.

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