Phrase guide

beg the question

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To engage in the logical fallacy of begging the question (petitio principii).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, law, logic, mathematics, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To sidestep or fail to address a question.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1860, Henry Adams, letter, 6 May However I hope we shall do better as we go on and as long as there's no dodging or begging the question on our side, I'm not afraid.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To raise or prompt a question.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: proscribed, sometimes

Examples

  • Three people were hurt in the fire at the warehouse last night, which begs the question: what were they doing there in the first place?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Translating Latin petītiō prīncipiī, itself translating Ancient Greek τὸ ἐν ἀρχῇ αἰτεῖσθαι (tò en arkhēî aiteîsthai, “to assume from the beginning”).

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: olettaa johtopäätös todeksi — to engage in the logical fallacy of begging the question (petitio principii)
  • Finnish: esittää kehäpäätelmä — to engage in the logical fallacy of begging the question (petitio principii)
  • Finnish: sivuuttaa kysymys — to sidestep or fail to address a question
  • Hungarian: (eleve) bizonyítottnak/nyilvánvalónak/adottnak vesz/tekint — to sidestep or fail to address a question
  • Finnish: herättää kysymys — to raise or prompt a question
  • German: zu der Frage drängen — to raise or prompt a question
  • German: die Frage hervorrufen — to raise or prompt a question
  • Hungarian: felveti a kérdést / annak a kérdését (azt) — to raise or prompt a question
  • Spanish: hacer surgir la pregunta — to raise or prompt a question
  • Spanish: llevar a preguntarse a — to raise or prompt a question