ask and demand share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. ask means “make a request or demand for something to somebody”. demand means “request urgently and forcefully”. ask is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈæsk/
1.v.make a request or demand for something to somebody
“She asked him for a loan”
2.v.direct or put; seek an answer to
“ask a question”
3.v.consider obligatory; request and expect
“We require our secretary to be on time”
/dɪˈmænd/
1.v.request urgently and forcefully
“The victim's family is demanding compensation”
2.v.require as useful, just, or proper
“It takes nerve to do what she did”
3.v.claim as due or just
“The bank demanded payment of the loan”
| ask | demand | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈæsk/ | /dɪˈmænd/ |
| Said | ask | di-MAND |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 3 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 7 | 11 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | none recorded |
Full entry for ask · Full entry for demand · More comparisons