West is in trouble not because he is a gay man, but because he is a man who was apparently willing to use the power of his public office to solicit sexual favors.
Source: tatoeba (2803520)
Solicit
/səˈlɪsɪt/
Synonyms for "solicit" (127 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (26)
Strong matches (38)
Noun(11 words)
Adjective(1 words)
formal courting
Related words (63)
Verb(20 words)
inviteinvite feedbackinvitedinvitingpanhandledpetitionpetitionedprocurement requestpropositionedprospectedpursuerecruitedrequestrequestedromanceseekseek inputtapwoowoos
Noun(12 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: accost, accost, address, angle for, appeal.
- Sentence evidence is available for solicit, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "solicit".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "solicit"
Keep "solicit" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "solicit" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "solicit", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "solicit" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
26 entriesShowing 16 of 26 words.
More specific
16 entriesCollocations
11 entriesbid solicitationcharity solicitationdonor solicitationfundraising solicitationsolicit bidssolicit donationssolicit feedbacksolicit new clientssolicit opinionssolicit volunteerssolicitation letter
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
5 entriessimilar
2 entriesTranslations
14 translations across 9 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- уговарям verb (to persuade or incite)
Finnish
3 entries- houkutella verb (to persuade or incite)
- vikitellä verb (to persuade or incite)
- vokotella verb (to persuade or incite)
German
3 entries- anstiften verb (to persuade or incite)
- beschwatzen verb (to persuade or incite)
- überreden verb (to persuade or incite)
Hungarian
1 entries- felbujt verb (to persuade or incite)
Russian
1 entries- домога́ться verb (to persuade or incite)
Serbo-Croatian
1 entries- snubiti verb (to persuade or incite)
Spanish
1 entries- solicitar verb (to persuade or incite)
Turkish
2 entries- baştan çıkarmaya çalışmak verb (to persuade or incite)
- davetkâr konuşmak verb (to persuade or incite)
Ukrainian
1 entries- підбити verb (to persuade or incite)
Sample sentences
17 total sentences available.
Executive departments and agencies should solicit public input on how we can increase and improve opportunities for public participation in Government.
Source: tatoeba (3652771)
Executive departments and agencies should solicit public feedback to assess and improve their level of collaboration and to identify new opportunities for cooperation.
Source: tatoeba (3652775)
“And now,” he said, after a moment's consideration, “it is fit I should speak to Sir William Ashton; he must know of our engagement. Ravenswood must not seem to dwell under his roof to solicit clandestinely the affections of his daughter.”
Source: tatoeba (7760598)
Showing 4 of 17 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "solicit"?
Closest matches include accost, accost, address, angle for, appeal.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "solicit"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.