pray tell

phrase

old-fashioned

—used for emphasis to demand an answer when asking someone for a reason, explanation, etc.

Why should I trust them, pray tell?

What were you doing, pray tell?

Examples of pray tell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And what, pray tell, does Benito call Hamm? — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2026

What, pray tell, is GNA selling? — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025

But what real person, pray tell, has their sister go missing for more than a complete Chinese zodiac cycle, only to spur of the moment visit a derelict prison… with an almost dead flashlight… in the middle of the night? — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 July 2024

And how, pray tell, are those high-up chandeliers being set aflame? — Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 5 July 2024

Rhymes for pray tell

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel