Importunate - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Importunate means excessively persistent or demanding, often to the point of being annoying. It describes someone who repeatedly asks for something in an intrusive or bothersome way.
Definition:
Persistently demanding or annoying in seeking attention or requests.
Synonyms:
insistent, persistent, demanding, pressing, urgent
Part of Speech:
adjective
Antonyms:
indifferent, unobtrusive
Common Collocations:
importunate requests, importunate demands, importunate behavior
Derivatives:
importunately, importunity
Usage Tips:
Use "importunate" to describe someone who is annoyingly persistent in asking for something.
Common Phrases:
importunate beggar, importunate pleas, importunate questioning
Etymology:
From Latin "importunus," meaning inconvenient or troublesome; later adapted into Middle English as "importune."
Examples:
- 1. Her importunate questions made the interview uncomfortable.
- 2. The child’s importunate pleas for candy grew tiresome.
- 3. He ignored her importunate demands for an immediate reply.
- 4. The salesman’s importunate behavior drove customers away.