Importunate

Importunate describes someone who is excessively persistent, especially in requesting or demanding something. It implies a relentless and often unwelcome pressure, bordering on the annoying, to obtain a desired outcome. This persistence often involves repeated requests, pleadings, or demands, frequently disregarding the recipient's feelings, boundaries, or stated refusals. The individual exhibiting importunity is often seen as overly eager and unwilling to take "no" for an answer, aiming to wear down resistance through sheer persistence. The underlying motivation may range from genuine need to sheer selfishness, but the defining characteristic is the relentless nature of their pursuit.

Importunate meaning with examples

• The importunate salesman refused to leave the potential customer's home until they agreed to purchase a vacuum cleaner, pushing the boundaries of acceptable sales tactics. His persistence created significant discomfort and eroded any goodwill that might have existed originally. This level of pressure is often considered a violation of privacy and common courtesy, which ultimately led to the sales individual being forced to leave the property.
• Despite repeated rejections, the importunate job applicant kept calling the hiring manager, sending emails, and even showing up unannounced at the office. This relentless pursuit, while perhaps indicative of enthusiasm, backfired and solidified the impression of a lack of understanding of professional boundaries and respect for the interviewer’s time, which removed the candidate from consideration.
• The importunate child incessantly begged his parents for a new video game console, employing tactics such as pestering, bargaining, and dramatic displays of disappointment. Their unyielding pressure, creating constant disruptions in the family life and at home, eventually wore the parents down, even though they knew it was teaching bad behaviour. The level of persistence left little room for a reasonable conversation.
• The importunate creditor repeatedly called the debtor, sent threatening letters, and even visited their home, demanding immediate payment of the overdue bill. This aggressive approach, while understandable in pursuit of collecting debts, often caused significant stress and anxiety for the debtor. In this case, the action was bordering on harassment, and could have legal consequences for the creditor.