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Glite Dictionary
to ask for help

to ask for help

98 1.0
To tell someone you need support with a task or problem
  • phrasal verb
  • /æsk fɔr hɛlp/
translation icon : pedir ayuda
  • If you do not tell them, if you do not ask for help, how is anyone going to know?
  • reluctant to ask for help
  • feel comfortable asking for help
  • ask for help when needed

And so to ask for help in any form is brilliant.

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Examples

  • Why are you asking for help?

    Cobweb (2023)

  • Encourage the intern to ask for help when he or she needs it.

    Academic text (2006)

  • I need to ask for help to slow down.

  • And so to ask for help in any form is brilliant.

    Evan Carmichael

  • Take action, ask for help and never ever ever give up.

  • Really important to ask for help right now.

  • When someone feels weak, they ask for help, building the relationship and the trust.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Good leaders are the ones who ask for help the quickest.

  • I've been scared to ask for help, but this is me asking for help.

    Jonathan Morrison

  • When faced with a difficult problem, it's important to ask for help from others.

Synonyms

to request
vsto ask for help
∞ 1.0

To ask for something politely or formally

is more casual and focused on getting support rather than formal requests
to seek
vsto ask for help
981 1.0

Ask someone for information, advice, or help

focuses specifically on asking others for support with problems
to beg
vsto ask for help
153 1.0

Ask someone humbly for money or food, often in public

is a general request for support rather than desperate charity seeking
to solicit
vsto ask for help
  • Formal
48 6.8

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

is a neutral request for support without formality or persistence
to beseech
vsto ask for help
  • Formal
47 8.2

To ask someone earnestly for something

is a simple appeal for assistance without passionate pleading
to seek help
vsto ask for help
30 2.0

Ask someone for support when you face a problem

is a general act of asking others for support rather than only trying
to entreat
vsto ask for help
  • Formal
12 8.1

Ask someone in a serious, emotional way to do something

is a plain request for support without urgent pleading
to supplicate
vsto ask for help
  • Formal
3 9.6

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

is a regular request for support without deep humility or prayer

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

How Urgent

appeal
136 2.9
plea
195 3.9
to ask for help
98 1.0

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

ask + for + help

The meaning 'to request assistance' is directly and compositionally derived from 'ask' (to request) + 'for' (indicating the object/purpose) + 'help' (assistance). This is a common, literal verb + preposition + noun pattern in English (and parallels exist in many other languages), so a B1 learner who knows the parts will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Ask for help comes from a simple picture: a person uses their voice or holds out a hand to ask someone for help when they cannot do something alone. That's why it means 'to request assistance'.