as in begging
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 praying
Alas, Chiefs fans will just have to continue hoping and praying Kelce will return for the 2026 NFL season.
—
Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
Llamas said Savannah Guthrie thanked the president for taking the time to call her family, adding that they were devastated and praying.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
Daniel David Yeroshalmi via Storyful Cell phone video obtained by CBS News New York shows a black sedan slamming into the front doors of Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights as hundreds were praying inside.
—CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Men gathered to pay their final respects, carrying the shrouded bodies through the streets before praying over them.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
In the Instagram video shared on Sunday, the singer thanked fans for thinking of him and praying for him during his recent health issues.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
On Instagram Sunday, the Boston native was seen praying with his priest.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
Drawing on the ancient tradition of praying to venerable trees — seen as conduits between heaven and earth — the installation reframes the practice as a symbolic bridge between Eastern spirituality and Western luxury.
—Denni Hu, Footwear News, 23 Jan. 2026
The decision said a high school football coach in Bremerton, Washington, praying on the field after games with students was not an Establishment Clause violation.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
Llamas said Savannah Guthrie thanked the president for taking the time to call her family, adding that they were devastated and praying.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
Daniel David Yeroshalmi via Storyful Cell phone video obtained by CBS News New York shows a black sedan slamming into the front doors of Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights as hundreds were praying inside.
—CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Men gathered to pay their final respects, carrying the shrouded bodies through the streets before praying over them.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
In the Instagram video shared on Sunday, the singer thanked fans for thinking of him and praying for him during his recent health issues.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
On Instagram Sunday, the Boston native was seen praying with his priest.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
Drawing on the ancient tradition of praying to venerable trees — seen as conduits between heaven and earth — the installation reframes the practice as a symbolic bridge between Eastern spirituality and Western luxury.
—Denni Hu, Footwear News, 23 Jan. 2026
The decision said a high school football coach in Bremerton, Washington, praying on the field after games with students was not an Establishment Clause violation.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for praying
Verb
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Easton woman Jacquelyn Tremblett has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Boston federal court against Tesla after her son, Samuel, was trapped in his burning car and dialed 911 begging for help.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
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Willit Yoga Capri Work Casual Pants These cute capri yoga pants are practically begging to be worn with a pair of flats or kitten heels this spring.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Now the family is petitioning the Scottish government for a change in medical guidelines.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
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Three of those worked on criminal cases, and the other three were civil litigators who have been grappling with a deluge of requests by attorneys who are petitioning judges to release their immigrant clients from detention facilities.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Praying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/praying. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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