prepare

verb

pre·​pare pri-ˈper 

prepared; preparing

transitive verb

1

a

: to make ready beforehand for some purpose, use, or activity

prepare food for dinner

farmers preparing the soil for planting

b

: to put in a proper state of mind

is prepared to listen

2

: to work out the details of : plan in advance

preparing a campaign strategy

3

a

: to put together : compound

prepare a prescription

b

: to put into written form

prepare a report

intransitive verb

: to get ready

preparing for a career

preparer noun

Synonyms of prepare

• ready
• provide
• furnish
• fortify
• prep
• equip
• arrange
• fix

Examples of prepare in a Sentence

The teacher prepared the students for the test.

Your room is being prepared now and should be ready soon.

The nurses prepared the patient for surgery.

Farmers are busy preparing the soil for planting.

They'll be arriving soon. We don't have much more time to prepare.

We don't have much more time to prepare ourselves for their arrival.

She tried to prepare herself for bad news.

The sailors are preparing themselves for a long voyage.

The pharmacist prepared the prescription.

Recent Examples on the Web

And with the National Cancer Institute preparing a major randomized trial of multicancer screening tests using cancer death as the endpoint, the agency should also consider whether approving Grail’s test will impede that work. — H. Gilbert Welch, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026

Guests at Under Canvas will need to be prepared to drive a bit to reach Bar Harbor or Acadia. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Fewer than half of wealthy Americans (47%) believe the next generation is prepared to take on family philanthropic causes, down from 55% in 2024, according to research from Bank of America released last week. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026

In January, a section of Interstate 70 is scheduled to close for 11 months, and the Missouri Department of Transportation wants residents to be prepared. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English preparen, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French preparer, borrowed from Latin praeparāre "to furnish beforehand, put in a state of readiness," from prae- pre- + parāre "to supply, provide, make ready" — more at pare

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for prepare

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

prepare

verb

pre·​pare pri-ˈpa(ə)r 

-ˈpe(ə)r

prepared; preparing

1

: to make ready beforehand

prepared us for the news

prepare for a test

2

: to put together the elements of : compound

prepare a prescription

preparer noun

Medical Definition

prepare

transitive verb

pre·​pare pri-ˈpa(ə)r, -ˈpe(ə)r 

prepared; preparing

1

: to make ready beforehand

prepare a patient for surgery

2

: to put together : compound

prepared a vaccine from live virus

prepared the doctor's prescription