pray

verb

ˈprā How to pronounce pray (audio)
Definition of praynext
as in to beg
to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner I pray you: tell me where they went

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pray In response to that post, fans shared messages of support for Chenal, praying for a full recovery. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026 Leo arrived in Lourdes from Paris on Saturday night and immediately prayed inside the Grotto of Apparitions and drank from the spring. — ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026 These are the moments, the opportunities, the games every NFL youngster, backup, fringe roster player prays for. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026 The space was revamped for a community to come together, pray, play and build lasting memories. — Ubah Ali, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pray
  1. beg
  2. petition
Verb
  • The legendary decathlete who climbed 99 steps to light the cauldron at the Coliseum in 1984 just begged Wasserman not to repeat the punishing path.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The Sarti Spritz has built a devoted following from Americans visiting Europe over the past few years, posting the bubbly concoction on TikTok and begging the company to bring it stateside.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of beg
Verb
  • The company could still petition for a rehearing, and could also ask the Supreme Court to take the case.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Few medications have been sued, petitioned against, and unnecessarily hauled before Congress as often as this one has.
    — Julie F. Kay, STAT, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of petition

Browse Nearby Words

prattling
pray
prayed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pray. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All