Importunate

/ɪmˈpɔːtjʊnət/ · adjective

Meaning

(of a demand) Persistent or pressing, often annoyingly so..

Definitions by Sense

1. (of a demand) Persistent or pressing, often annoyingly so.
2. (of a person) Given to importunate demands, greedily or thoughtlessly demanding.
3. An importuner.
4. (rare) To importune, or to obtain by importunity.

Example Sentences

Nick was on the point of declaring again that he was a humbug, so vivid was his inner sense of what he thought of his factitious public utterances, which had the cursed property of creating dreadful responsibilities and importunate credulities for him.

Trembling in every limb I raise my loud im­portunate cry, And in a sacred terror wait the Delian god’s reply.

[...] if you reprimand or punish them, be assured every one will consider you importunate as well as ridiculous.

This will put an Answer into the Kings mouth, against all importunates.

All which notwithstanding, I obtained licence at length to make my supplication to the noble Parliament house; but I could find no messengers till Sir John Seton went, whom I importunated daily to obtain me favor for my return home again.

Is my work ended? The fear of importunating my friends answers, “Yes.”

It is the concrete that impresses, that importunates until it influences—in writing as in everything else.

Synonyms for importunate

Antonyms for importunate

Related Words

Word Forms

• more importunate
• most importunate
• importunates
• importunating
• importunated

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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