How to Use plead in a Sentence

plead

verb
  • She couldn't afford a lawyer to plead her case.
  • He begged and pleaded, but she would not change her mind.
  • He agreed to plead to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
  • Bridges pleaded guilty to the two charges in June 2023.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 13 Oct. 2024
  • Garrett has yet to plead to the sole charge against him.
    — Chris Harris, PEOPLE.com, 8 Dec. 2021
  • His lawyer, Mike Allen, said his client will plead guilty to the five counts.
    — Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 13 Jan. 2023
  • Combs pleaded not guilty to the three charges against him.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Jose shrugs, pleads with her to not lick anyone at the inn, and leaves.
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
  • Chavez has pleaded guilty and faces up to 10 years in prison.
    — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 26 Dec. 2024
  • He and Mills’ lawyer, Blake Ballin, said their clients would plead not guilty.
    — Bradford Betz, Fox News, 26 Jan. 2023
  • In 2014, Melvin pled guilty to raping the child and was sentenced to ten years of prison.
    — al, 15 May 2023
  • The Haidaris were determined to stay and plead their case.
    — Mirzahussain Sadid, ProPublica, 5 Apr. 2022
  • Gilbert, who did not plead guilty, was sentenced to 75 years to life.
    — Michael Hill, ajc, 2 May 2022
  • Trump was charged with four counts in that probe and pleaded not guilty last week.
    — Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2023
  • The suspect has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Carlisle seemed stunned at the call and was incensed trying to plead his case.
    — Dustin Dopirak, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Nov. 2022
  • Lawyers for Martin and Mills said their clients will plead not guilty.
    — Analisa Novak, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2023
  • Holden would plead guilty to the 2019 murder and be sentenced to life in prison.
    — USA Today, 7 July 2022
  • Kotey has agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence.
    — Gillian Morley, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2022
  • Nauta and De Oliveira have pleaded not guilty to all counts.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2023
  • Coy has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has not made any public comments on the case.
    — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2024
  • Beard pleaded guilty in July 2023 to one count of wire fraud.
    — Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 12 Sep. 2024
  • All six have pleaded not guilty, and Mr. Trump has come to their defense.
    — Michael Gold, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024
  • The parents of the deceased child had just heard their daughter’s killer plead guilty in court.
    — Olivia Ebertz, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Dec. 2021
  • Lambesis pleaded guilty in the case and served two years of a six-year sentence.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2024
  • Griner plead guilty to drug possession charges last week and faces up to 10 years in prison.
    — Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY, 14 July 2022
  • Meade turned himself in Thursday and plans to plead not guilty, Collins said.
    — Adia Robinson, ABC News, 2 Dec. 2021
  • Countless power users took to the replies to plead with Twitter to change its plans.
    — Jacob Siegal, BGR, 30 June 2022
  • Jimenez pleaded guilty to his part in the murder attempt and was sentenced by Judge Altman to 35 years in prison.
    — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
  • Reubens pleaded no contest, to avoid the publicity of a trial, but the damage was done.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 23 May 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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