What does importuning mean?
Importuning means asking someone repeatedly, urgently, and persistently for something, often despite resistance or inconvenience. The word can name the act itself—“their importuning became tiresome”—or function as a verb, as in “she importuned him for a reply.” Its tone is formal and literary, with an implication that the requests are persistent, difficult to refuse, or made at an awkward time. The related adjective “importunate” describes a person or request as insistent, while the simpler verb “importune” is more common in contemporary English. Importuning is consequently useful when a speaker wants to emphasize not merely asking but the pressure and persistence involved. Its Latin ancestry also supplies a memorable contrast: the source word meant “inopportune” or “tiresome,” capturing the social discomfort often associated with relentless requests.
To ask someone persistently or urgently for something, especially when they are unwilling to agree.
"Supporters continued importuning the committee to approve the measure."
Formal and literary; often transitive, with the person being pressed as the object.
The action of persistently or urgently asking someone for something; an importunate request or campaign of requests.
"His repeated importuning of officials eventually brought about an investigation."
Chiefly literary or archaic and less common than the verb or gerund use.
The plural is grammatical but rare, as the noun is now chiefly literary or archaic.
"The petitioners described their importunings in a formal report."
Its Latin ancestor meant “inopportune” or “tiresome”—a reminder that importuning is the art of asking at an especially inconvenient moment.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does importuning come from?
Importuning comes through the obsolete French verb importuner, “to demand insistently,” from the Latin importunare, “to demand as due.” The Latin verb was formed from importunus, meaning “inopportune,” “tiresome,” or “unfeeling,” a word related to opportunus, “suitable” or “fortunate.” English developed the verb and the noun “importuning” during the early modern period, with the noun later becoming chiefly literary or archaic.
How importuning is actually used
The word is formal, literary, and somewhat old-fashioned. It occurs especially in historical, legal, and political prose; the verb “importune” is more usual in modern usage. The noun sense is now less common than the verb or gerund sense.
Easily confused with importuning
Importuning is the act of making persistent requests, whereas importunate describes a person or request as persistent or insistent.