SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
petition
verb
To make an earnest or formal request, especially to someone in authority.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Make a formal request
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topPetition commonly involves a formal request to an authority. Implore and entreat add emotional urgency; apply often concerns a benefit or permission.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See petition in use
The students decided to petition the council for longer library hours.
A neighborhood group decided to petition the council to correct a misspelled street name on official maps, attaching dated records that supported its request.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license