What does supplicated mean?
Supplicated is the past tense and past participle of supplicate, a formal verb meaning to make an earnest, humble, or solemn request. It is especially common in contexts involving a plea to a person or institution in authority, as in a petition to a ruler, minister, court, or religious figure. The word carries a strong sense of urgency and deference, often suggesting that the speaker is asking for mercy, justice, assistance, or reconsideration. Although its grammar allows ordinary past-tense use—“They supplicated for help”—its elevated and literary register distinguishes it from the more neutral “requested” or “asked.” In modern writing, it is most often encountered in historical, legal, religious, or deliberately formal language.
verbTo make a humble or solemn request, especially to a person or authority. It can also mean to beg or appeal earnestly.
- To make a humble or solemn request to a person or authority.
- To beg or appeal earnestly, often in a formal or distressed context.
"The petitioners supplicated the minister to reconsider the decision."
"The family supplicated the governor for clemency."
"She supplicated him to reconsider, but he refused."
A supplication is more than a request: it carries the old-fashioned sense of pleading before someone powerful.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does supplicated come from?
The word comes from Latin supplicāre, meaning “to entreat, beseech, or pray,” with supplicāre itself related to supplex, meaning “beseeching” or “suppliant.” The English verb supplicate developed in the 16th century in senses connected with formal request, prayer, and petition. Its cognate noun supplication and the related forms supplicant and suppliant preserve the same historical emphasis on an appeal made with humility.
Related word forms
How supplicated is actually used
The word is formal and somewhat literary. It often implies an earnest appeal made with humility, especially to someone with authority or power.
Easily confused with supplicated
No distinction is needed because this is the same word; for comparison, 'supplicated' is the past tense and past participle of 'supplicate', while 'supplication' is the noun.