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Glite Dictionary
❓ To inquire 🙏 To request 💲 To set a price
to ask

to ask

∞ 1.0
To request that someone do something or meet a requirement
  • verb
  • /æsk/
translation icon : pedir
  • Contact your prospective grant maker and ask him or her for copies of recent successful proposals.
  • ask students to
  • ask participants to
  • ask teachers to

The problem is when people ask, they expect.

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Examples

  • Could you please ask the teacher for extra help with the project?

  • I thought you were asking me to marry you.

    Back to Black (2024)

  • I am here to ask you to do the least.

  • So that leads us to ask, was it worth it?

  • So I ask you to ask yourself, why not show up?

  • So I still do get asked by parents a lot.

  • So at a minimum, yes, be informed, ask questions and vote.

  • Teachers were also encouraged to ask their students and parents to respond to the survey.

    Academic text (2011)

  • This woman came to my home, asked me to support Michael's release.

    Joey & Rex Save the Church (2022)

  • Suddenly, three students rushed in asking me to help them find a silent-reading book for class.

    Academic text (2013)

Synonyms

to request
vsto ask
∞ 1.0

To ask for something politely or formally

is the general act of asking without special politeness or formality
to seek
vsto ask
981 1.0

Ask someone for information, advice, or help

covers any kind of asking, not only seeking information or help
to demand
vsto ask
943 2.7

To ask for something in a strong, urgent way

is less forceful and can be neutral or polite
to apply
vsto ask
466 1.4

Make a formal request, usually in writing, for a job or permission

is any request and not restricted to formal written procedures
to beg
vsto ask
417 1.0

Ask someone very seriously and urgently for something

is any request and may not involve pleading or urgency
to call for
vsto ask
369 3.3

Ask people in public to give or do something

is general asking and does not require public or collective appeal
to pray
vsto ask
  • Archaic
256 1.6

To beg someone urgently and humbly for something

is a general request without necessarily involving humility or religion
to plead
vsto ask
232 3.9

Ask someone urgently and emotionally for something

is a simple request and may lack emotional appeal
to solicit
vsto ask
  • Formal
48 6.8

To ask people for something, often in a formal or persistent way

is broader and may be neutral rather than formal or persistent
to beseech
vsto ask
  • Formal
47 8.2

To ask someone earnestly for something

is the neutral act of asking without intense fervent feeling
to implore
vsto ask
  • Formal
40 5.3

To ask someone very seriously to do or not do something

is general asking and may lack desperate emotion
to bid
vsto ask
  • Archaic
28 3.5

To tell someone politely or formally to do something

is general asking and does not necessarily include instruction or command
to inquire
vsto ask
  • Formal
16 3.7

To ask questions as part of an official investigation

is a plain request and not limited to formal information gathering
to entreat
vsto ask
  • Formal
12 8.1

Ask someone in a serious, emotional way to do something

is broader and can be less emotional or urgent
to supplicate
vsto ask
  • Formal
3 9.6

To beg someone, often in prayer, for help or favor

is broader asking not tied to humility or formal supplication
to intreat
vsto ask
  • Archaic
9.9

To ask someone very strongly for something

is the modern, general act of asking without archaic tone

Antonyms

to deny
∞ 2.0

To say that something is not true

to refuse
716 1.7

To say no to a request or offer

Idioms

to ask for trouble
  • Informal
12 4.8

Act in a way likely to cause problems

to shoot first and ask questions later
  • Informal
3 8.4

Act quickly without thinking or checking facts

to ask for the moon
  • Informal
1 7.6

To demand something that is impossible or too much

to ask for the moon on a stick
  • Informal
9.9

To want something that is impossible or not realistic

ask my arse
  • Offensive
9.9

A rude British phrase that shows you strongly refuse a request or that you do not believe a claim

Phrasal Verbs

to ask for
∞ 1.0

To tell someone you want or need something

to ask out
363 2.3

To invite someone to go on a date because you like them

to ask for
  • Informal
133 2.3

To do something that makes trouble or criticism likely

to ask for help
98 1.0

To tell someone you need support with a task or problem

to ask around
  • Informal
40 2.1

To ask several people for information

to ask for it
  • Informal
36 5.4

Behave in a way that causes trouble for yourself

to ask in
12 1.0

Invite someone to come into a room or house

to ask after
  • UK
9 3.3

Ask how someone is and about their health

to ask over
  • US
9 3.1

Invite someone to your home for dinner or drinks

to ask for change
3 4.4

To request small amounts of money from people on the street

to ask for a discount
1 2.1

To tell a seller you want a lower price

to ask round
  • UK
4.1

To invite people to your home for a visit or meal

Compounds

Ask Jeeves
  • Texting
7.3

A search website that let people ask questions in plain English

How Forceful

to order
902 1.3
to demand
943 2.7
to insist
∞ 2.8
to press
285 3.9
to ask
∞ 1.0
to request
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

ask infinitive
asked past
asked past participle
asking present participle
asks third person singular

Etymology

Ask comes from an old German word that meant 'to ask' or 'demand', and you can still hear the same family in the dialect form axe that some people say instead of 'ask'. So when you ask for something you are making a request or expecting it.