prepay

verb

pre·​pay (ˌ)prē-ˈpā How to pronounce prepay (audio)
prepaid (ˌ)prē-ˈpād How to pronounce prepay (audio) ; prepaying

transitive verb

: to pay or pay the charge on in advance
prepayment noun

Examples of prepay in a Sentence

Special orders must be prepaid.
Recent Examples on the Web At Ikea, customers could prepay for items in the app and speed through checkout. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2024 On Friday the 13th, those who have not prepaid can get on a list to come back and redeem the discount before the end of the month. Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 9 Sep. 2024 The hotel rates must be fully prepaid and are non-refundable. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2024 River East Garage, 214 Rivard St. — $15 per car (prepay recommended). Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press, 23 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for prepay 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prepay.' 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

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prepay was in 1839

Dictionary Entries Near prepay

Cite this Entry

“Prepay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prepay. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

prepay

verb
pre·​pay (ˈ)prē-ˈpā How to pronounce prepay (audio)
prepaid -ˈpād How to pronounce prepay (audio) ; prepaying
: to pay or pay for in advance
prepayment noun

Legal Definition

prepay

transitive verb
pre·​pay prē-ˈpā How to pronounce prepay (audio)
prepaid; prepaying
: to pay or pay the charge on in advance (as of date due or maturity date)
no penalty for prepaying your student loan
prepayment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on prepay

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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