plea

noun

ˈplē How to pronounce plea (audio)
Definition of pleanext
1
as in appeal
an earnest request the captive made an impassioned plea for his life to be spared

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in excuse
an explanation that frees one from fault or blame my only plea is that I've been overworked lately

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun plea contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of plea are alibi, apologia, apology, excuse, and pretext. While all these words mean "matter offered in explanation or defense," plea stresses argument or appeal for understanding or sympathy or mercy.

her usual plea that she was nearsighted

When is alibi a more appropriate choice than plea?

The words alibi and plea can be used in similar contexts, but alibi implies a desire to shift blame or evade punishment and imputes mere plausibility to the explanation.

his alibi failed to stand scrutiny

When can apologia be used instead of plea?

The meanings of apologia and plea largely overlap; however, apologia implies not admission of guilt or regret but a desire to make clear the grounds for some course, belief, or position.

his speech was an apologia for his foreign policy

When would apology be a good substitute for plea?

While the synonyms apology and plea are close in meaning, apology usually applies to an expression of regret for a mistake or wrong with implied admission of guilt or fault and with or without reference to mitigating or extenuating circumstances.

said by way of apology that he would have met them if he could

Where would excuse be a reasonable alternative to plea?

While in some cases nearly identical to plea, excuse implies an intent to avoid or remove blame or censure.

used illness as an excuse for missing the meeting

When is it sensible to use pretext instead of plea?

In some situations, the words pretext and plea are roughly equivalent. However, pretext suggests subterfuge and the offering of false reasons or motives in excuse or explanation.

used any pretext to get out of work

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 plea Three other charges in the case were dismissed as part of a plea deal Bramstedt reached with the prosecution in February: one count each of first- and second-degree assault and a second first-degree burglary count. —Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 6 May 2025 In the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop four wire fraud charges leveled against Fernandes Anderson when she was federally indicted and arrested last December. —Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 5 May 2025 Federal prosecutors also appeared to reveal today that Combs had rejected an apparent plea deal. —Jay Stahl, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025 As per the documents, judge Sarah Willis ruled on the plea bargain deal Wednesday. —Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for plea
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plea
  1. appeal
  2. excuse
  3. prayer
  4. justification
  5. petition
  6. reason
  7. pleading
  8. apology
Noun
  • The initiative aims to boost Japan Inc.’s appeal to both foreign and domestic investors.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 16 May 2025
  • Perseverance's aurora observations, which were described in a study published Wednesday (May 14) in the journal Science Advances, have more than just gee-whiz appeal.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 15 May 2025
Definition of appeal
Noun
  • Get Together Just Because Birthday parties, holidays, and graduation parties might claim much of your summer calendar, but these days, the trend is to find new excuses to get together.
    — Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 May 2025
  • If the Jets beat the Blues, those excuses transform: every piece of adversity turns into another reason Winnipeg’s success was all the more impressive.
    — Murat Ates, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Definition of excuse
Noun
  • Today’s vacant lot or rectory or even empty place of prayer could be tomorrow’s homes for so many people of all faiths — and, in the process, churches struggling to balance their books could get new sources of revenue.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 May 2025
  • Contact the church office with prayer requests, or email Patricia@bvcc.net Information: (479) 855-1126 or questions@bvcc.net.
    — Carin Schoppmeyer, Arkansas Online, 10 May 2025
Definition of prayer
Noun
  • Andrade rejected the Department of Homeland Security’s justification for ending TPS.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 9 May 2025
  • Before his election as mayor, House said trustees were concerned that if Freeman was to have been let go without justification, Dolton would be open to a possible whistleblower lawsuit.
    — Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
Definition of justification
Noun
  • Reasoning for detaining the student kept changing, judge says Shortly after his arrest, attorneys for Hoque filed suit against the Trump administration, and a habeas petition seeking to stop his transfer out of the state.
    — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
  • Judge Caroline Wall granted Hanson a new trial based on the evidence but the decision was overturned by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals over questions of jurisdiction in 2006, according to the petition.
    — James Powel, USA Today, 8 May 2025
Definition of petition
Noun
  • During these inspections, travelers may be questioned or their electronic devices looked through as a way to confirm their identity and reasons for being in the U.S.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • And that’s one of the reasons why with him and Edwards at the helm, the Timberwolves are only a win away from a repeat trip to the Western Conference finals.
    — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
Definition of reason
Noun
  • His remaining legal avenues include a challenge to the constitutionality of lethal injection, pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, and a new pleading filed Monday, which challenges the quality of the legal representation death row inmates receive from the state.
    — Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 May 2025
  • An ex parte pleading means the filings went directly to the judge, without notifying the other parties in the case.
    — Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of pleading
Noun
  • Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, one of WBD’s more financially successful films of 2024 (apologies to Joker: Folie à Deux), premiered on September 6 and was available on PVOD by October 8.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 6 May 2025
  • With apologies to game purists, both scenes pack more of an emotional wallop in the show’s version.
    — Sara Netzley, EW.com, 5 May 2025
Definition of apology

Browse Nearby Words

plazas
plea
pleach
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Cite this Entry

“Plea.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plea. Accessed 19 May. 2025.

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