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
Before traveling to Southern California, listen to this essential prep: my interview on The Natural List podcast from Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith at New Hope. Chloe Sorvino, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Sinks located in employee restrooms, prep stations, a ware wash station and next to the office door and kitchen entrance all were out of paper towels during the inspection, the report said. Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2024 Mental and Physical Well-being The role of mental and physical well-being in CPA exam prep cannot be overstated. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 All home cooks know that precious counter space is reserved for those go-to appliances that make cooking and meal prep more efficient, like your beloved slow cooker. Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2024 The outfit strikes a perfect balance between classic prep and casual cool, blending British and American style influences to create a laidback yet polished vibe that’s all her own. Hanna Lustig, Glamour, 23 Feb. 2024 How does a multi-hyphenate creator and entrepreneur prep for busy days and keep atop her skincare routine? Sarah Boyd, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 The cooktop was wedged into a tight space surrounded by most of the appliances, little counter space, and was completely opposite the sink, all of which made food prep and cooking less efficient and less comfortable. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 21 Feb. 2024 Alternatively, leave the skin on if the fat savings is not important to you or use boneless, skinless thighs to save on the prep. Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
That comes as Prime Video preps a premiere later this year for Season 2 of the series. Michael Schneider, Variety, 28 Feb. 2024 Moret was initially hired as a line cook, but Grosse thought his skills still needed some work, and bumped him down to prep for more training. Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 22 Feb. 2024 Just in time to prep clients for the Oscars, facialist and skin-care guru Joanna Czech — who long has traveled to Los Angeles from her studios in Dallas and NYC for private appointments during awards season — will open her first L.A. studio, at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills hotel, on March 3. Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2024 Learn how to prep a head of cabbage, then discover some of our favorite ways to cook the vegetable. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024 At the intersection of fashion and sport, the new Tommy x We the Best collection combines Hilfiger’s signature Americana prep aesthetic with Khaled’s panache. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2024 This helps prep my hair for detangling and typically halts my shower time. Celeste Polanco, Essence, 12 Feb. 2024 But perhaps his final role is in FanDuel ads as Rob Gronkowski's coach, as the former NFL tight end preps to kick a field goal as part of a promotion from the gambling company. Jason Abbruzzese, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2024 After the big game on Sunday, Swift would have to prep for an additional seven shows in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, from Feb. 16-26. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 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 19 Mar. 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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