ask
verb
\ ˈask
, ˈäsk; dialectal ˈaks\
, ˈäsk; dialectal ˈaks\
asked\ ˈas(k)t
, ˈäs(k)t , ˈask ; dialectal ˈakst \;
asking
, ˈäs(k)t , ˈask ; dialectal ˈakst \;
asking
Definition of ask
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: to call on for an answer
She asked him about his trip.
b
: to put a question about
asking her opinion
2a
: to make a request of
She asked her teacher for help.
b
: to make a request for
She asked help from her teacher.
3
: to call for : require
a challenge that will ask much of us
4
: to set as a price
asked $3000 for the car
5
: invite
She asked a few friends to the party.
ask for it
ask for trouble
informal
: to behave in a way that invites punishment or retribution
Experts used to think that battered women were "asking for it"—somehow masochistically provoking abuse from their men. Mercifully, that idea has now been discredited.— Michele Ingrassia
informal
: to behave in a way that is likely to result in trouble
… you are asking for trouble if you try to lift too much weight …— Douglas Jeffrey
ask
nounDefinition of ask (Entry 2 of 2)
chiefly British, informal
: something asked for, requested, or required of someone
—used especially in phrases like a big ask and a tough ask to say that what is being asked for or hoped for is difficult or unlikely It's a big ask, I think, demanding audiences recall a plot from two years ago, and while normally I don't mind a big ask … this particular ask utterly defeated me.— Deborah Ross
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Synonyms & Antonyms for ask
Synonyms: Verb
catechize, grill, inquire (of), interrogate, query, question, quiz
Antonyms: Verb
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Examples of ask in a Sentence
Verb
I need to ask a question. Did you ask her yet? “Have you seen the movie yet?” he asked. a list of frequently asked questions “If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?” “I'm 35 years old. Why do you ask?” “Do they have any soda?” “I don't know. I'll go ask.” I would have given it to him, but he never asked. We had to stop and ask directions. May I ask the time? Did you ask permission to leave?
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Flores said regarding Tunsil when asked about the rumors. — Safid Deen, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Jadeveon Clowney does not want to play for Dolphins. Here’s what it could mean for Laremy Tunsil | Analysis," 30 Aug. 2019 Scientific American asked Rebecca Albright to weigh in. — Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, "Don’t Believe the Hype: The Pumice Raft Won’t Save the Great Barrier Reef," 30 Aug. 2019 Those attending are asked to bring canned food or nonperishable food for the Ramona Food & Clothes Closet. — Ramona Sentinel, "Forum to address ‘Monetary System 101’," 29 Aug. 2019 After receiving a tip, ProPublica asked Ackerman to respond to questions about a harassment complaint involving one of its employees. — Mike Spies, ProPublica, "The NRA Used Funds to Settle a Sexual Harassment Claim Against a Top Official — And Then He Was Accused Again," 28 Aug. 2019 But there was one question that wasn’t asked in the lengthy ESPN interview. — John Morgan, MMA Junkie, "Dana White: Conor McGregor's apology needed, but sexual assault allegation still murky," 28 Aug. 2019 Ordinarily, neither tends to scrutinize the officials and candidates he’s asked to donate to, Oliphant said. — Dominic Fracassa, SFChronicle.com, "Breed 2018 campaign probed for possible campaign finance violations," 19 Aug. 2019 That's the question Tara C. Smith, professor of epidemiology at Kent State University, asks in this comment piece. — NBC News, "Trump dismisses economic slowdown fears: Read the Morning Rundown," 19 Aug. 2019 When Pelissero asked if Metcalf had a shot to play in Week 1, Carroll repeated the team is optimistic. — Charlotte Carroll, SI.com, "Seahawks Rookie Wideout DK Metcalf to Undergo Knee Surgery," 19 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Build a village, and be clear and concise in your ask for help. — Christina Stembel, Quartz at Work, "Creating Farmgirl Flowers taught me my high school education is more than enough," 29 Aug. 2019 Like Kimsooja, the ask was radical simplicity: Do the thing only to do the thing, not for Instagram likes or Facebook shares. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "At the Peabody Essex, exhibition dares museumgoers to trade iPhones for balls of clay," 8 Aug. 2019 This is a tall ask for an industry plagued by limited consumer awareness and challenges with intra-government coordination, institutional priorities, and cumbersome processes. — Tirthankar Mandal, Quartz India, "Cheaper loans could take solar power to more rooftops in India," 21 July 2019 Mike Withey, an attorney at Withey Morris who represented ASU at the council meeting, said that was a hard ask, but the planning team was able to make it so that all traffic would exit onto either Greenway Road or 59th Avenue. — Jen Fifield, azcentral, "5 things to know about Arizona Christian University's move to Glendale," 16 June 2019 Shawn Windsor shared his thoughts on the matter, acknowledging that while Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch is asking fans for more patience by keeping Avila around, though that ask is getting harder and harder to make. — Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Tigers swept by champs, Detroit Pistons hoping to remember Vegas: Weekend Review," 6 July 2019 The supervisors rejected a measure recommended by the planning commission to have staff ask for documentation and research the veracity of the statements. — Joe Mozingo, San Diego Union-Tribune, "The world’s largest pot farms, and how Santa Barbara opened the door," 12 June 2019 In this case, the wife wanted lots of storage while the husband's biggest ask was an airy space with lots of light. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "Would You Try This Divisive New Bathroom Trend?," 28 Mar. 2019 At a time when the world cannot agree on rules for the terrestrial trade of steel bars and soyabeans that may seem like a big ask. — The Economist, "A new age of space exploration is beginning," 18 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ask.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.