prep

1 of 3

noun

1
2
3
: a preliminary trial for a racehorse

prep

2 of 3

verb

prepped; prepping

intransitive verb

1
: to attend preparatory school
2
[short for prepare] : to get ready

transitive verb

: prepare
especially : to prepare for an operation or examination
nurses prepped the patient

PrEP

3 of 3

abbreviation

pre-exposure prophylaxis
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that PrEP, when used consistently, can reduce the risk of H.I.V. infection by up to 92 percent.Ginia Bellafante

Examples of prep in a Sentence

Noun Painting a room involves a lot of prep. Verb She spent all night prepping for the test. The runners are prepping themselves for the race. It took me about 20 minutes to prep the vegetables.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Skin prep is key Kyra emphasizes the importance of a prepped face for long-lasting makeup. Tira Urquhart, Essence, 23 Apr. 2024 Instead of stashing those extra bits and bobs in the fridge and racing against spoilage, prep and portion ‘em up into ice cube trays and put ‘em in cold storage. Corinne Iozzio, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2024 Streamline your prep routine with this best-selling vegetable chopper that can dice, slice, spiralize, and cube your produce without a ton of elbow grease. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 20 Apr. 2024 However, the Walkers stressed the Prep in this name isn’t prep for basketball at the next level. Cody Thorn, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2024 Between the easy prep and many tasty meals, the options are compelling. PCMAG, 16 Apr. 2024 Four roach traps had 40 roaches in a prep area room across from the cookline. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2024 This place is more for people who want something quicker and consistent for general management of their skin rather than a rare splurge for relaxation’s sake or special occasion prep. Annie Blay, Allure, 11 Apr. 2024 Or just ask them to bring flowers or show up an hour early to help with last-minute prep. Devra Ferst, Bon Appétit, 11 Apr. 2024
Verb
Other than delivering a thorough cleanse, washing your face twice effectively preps your skin for the rest of your routine. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 24 Apr. 2024 Idol mentors Tori Kelly and Jelly Roll joined the contestants at the resort to train the singers and prep them for the remainder of the competition. Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 5 Apr. 2024 Ashley Tisdale is supporting her friend Lea Michele as both moms prep to add another little one to the family. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024 There's really no way to prep for the show — basically, just don't be brainless. Tanner Stransky, EW.com, 8 Apr. 2024 In a nod to all the early-rising anglers looking for a more convenient way to prep for a trip, Walmart will now deliver live nightcrawlers and red worms to your front door as early as 6 a.m. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 3 Apr. 2024 After her own set at Boston’s TD Garden, Roan snuck into the front row of the GA section to watch Rodrigo and prep herself for a surprise cameo. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2024 To prep for your party, this hard tea lemonade can be made a day ahead. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2024 As Drake continues to prep his response to Kung Fu Kenny, several other releases and events are keeping the R&B and hip-hop worlds occupied. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1909, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prep was in 1862

Dictionary Entries Near prep

Cite this Entry

“Prep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prep. Accessed 2 May. 2024.

Medical Definition

prep

1 of 2 noun
: the act or an instance of preparing a patient for a surgical operation
the nurse had three preps to do

prep

2 of 2 transitive verb
prepped; prepping
: to prepare for a surgical operation or examination
prep the patient for an appendectomy

More from Merriam-Webster on prep

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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