1
as in petitions
an address to God or a deity
he always directed a bedside prayer to God before going to sleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in appeals
an earnest request
we hope that the governor will hear our prayer and do something about this pressing problem
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 prayers
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani wore an Arsenal tunic to Eid prayers in the Bronx.
—
Lauren Frayer, NPR, 29 May 2026
The New Year eventually came, bringing with it fresh hopes and prayers and celebrations.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
Soka Gakkai members gather to study Buddhist principles, like practicing nonviolence and taking social action, and their practice consists of prayers, chanting and self-reflection in nature to achieve spiritual growth.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
Other people’s prayers aren’t necessarily a commentary on your beliefs.
—R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
The event’s Taoist roots encourage prayers for peace and safety.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
After prayers this morning, a group of Lebanese Americans marched in solidarity with Lebanon.
—Veronica Ortega, CBS News, 27 May 2026
The victim was kneeling in the street in the middle of his prayers with hundreds of other mosque congregants, when he was struck in the back.
—Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
Nadir Awad, 57 Awad, who lived just across the street from the mosque, attended daily for prayers.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
Lauren Frayer, NPR, 29 May 2026
The New Year eventually came, bringing with it fresh hopes and prayers and celebrations.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
Soka Gakkai members gather to study Buddhist principles, like practicing nonviolence and taking social action, and their practice consists of prayers, chanting and self-reflection in nature to achieve spiritual growth.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
Other people’s prayers aren’t necessarily a commentary on your beliefs.
—R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
The event’s Taoist roots encourage prayers for peace and safety.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
After prayers this morning, a group of Lebanese Americans marched in solidarity with Lebanon.
—Veronica Ortega, CBS News, 27 May 2026
The victim was kneeling in the street in the middle of his prayers with hundreds of other mosque congregants, when he was struck in the back.
—Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
Nadir Awad, 57 Awad, who lived just across the street from the mosque, attended daily for prayers.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prayers
Noun
-
Of the ballot items, only Measure E spurred any meaningful political spending, with the city’s largest public labor unions dropping over $1 million to bankroll citizen groups that gathered petitions and later to campaign for the tax’s approval.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
-
That also includes encouraging voters to vote for a particular candidate, sharing campaign materials or circulating petitions.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The attorney general's office is committed to defending these convictions through the appeals process.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
Presumably those are the appeals of marshmallows.—
Byron W. Dalrymple,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Kibandi discussed with us about the power of art in creating change and how photography can be a vehicle for culture expanding orisons for girls and women.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Kenneth Law, dressed in a dark blazer and white shirt, stood in the prisoner’s box of a court in Newmarket, Ontario, to enter his guilty pleas.—
Rob Gillies,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
-
There are acid critiques of settler colonialism alongside tributes to the majesty of the American landscape, sober revisitations of enslavement alongside hopeful pleas for liberation, bitter denouncements of intervention in wars abroad alongside quaint homages to homespun Americanness.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Accessibility The hotel has a selection of accessible room options split between the new and old parts of the building, ramp access via The Connaught Bar, and a team on standby to cater to all disabilities and requests.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
And, just for good measure, his campaign confirmed the identity of Talarico’s girlfriend after Texas outlet Current Revolt published her name despite the campaign’s requests of other newsrooms to do the opposite.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prayers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prayers. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
