as in to beg
to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner
I pray you: tell me where they went
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Recent Examples of pray
Groups opposed the project because of its proximity to a sacred site called Pe'Sla, a meadow in the Black Hills where Sioux tribes hold ceremonies and pray throughout the year.
—
ABC News, 8 May 2026
Everyone involved in this process, save for the student-athletes and their agents, is praying that a more rigid structure that provides cost certainty will be implemented within the next year.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
Trustees at several districts cited logistical challenges in complying with the law, while others — such as board members at Katy ISD — noted that students can already pray during non-instructional time.
—Haajrah Gilani, Houston Chronicle, 7 May 2026
Mitchell always prayed before games.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pray
ABC News, 8 May 2026
Everyone involved in this process, save for the student-athletes and their agents, is praying that a more rigid structure that provides cost certainty will be implemented within the next year.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
Trustees at several districts cited logistical challenges in complying with the law, while others — such as board members at Katy ISD — noted that students can already pray during non-instructional time.
—Haajrah Gilani, Houston Chronicle, 7 May 2026
Mitchell always prayed before games.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pray
Verb
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Adonis yells as Gillis begs him to pull over.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
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Beyond a few days with warmer temperatures, the real sign that spring has arrived is when my nose starts to run, my throat begins to itch, and my eyes are begging for eye drops every morning.—
Carly Totten,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 May 2026
Verb
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In October, 2024, Yotam Ben-Hillel, an Israeli human-rights lawyer, petitioned Israel’s Supreme Court on behalf of a coalition of international aid groups in an effort to force the Israeli government to address the situation.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
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In August 2025, Broward County Circuit Court Judge Marlon Weiss ruled on a case of two men living in France who petitioned for early parental rights while their gestational carrier was pregnant.—
Ann Marie Luft,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pray. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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