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
Leo presided over the service sitting off to the side of the altar on a white throne, wearing his formal red cape and liturgical stole and praying with a Rosary in his hands.
—
Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Surveillance footage from the home then appeared to show the man kneeling in the driveway and praying before approaching the home.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Unity in Cameroon In Cameroon, the logo has Leo praying over an open Bible with a map of Cameroon as an overlay.
—Mathew Schmalz, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
On the morning that Rebecca Crews’ battle with Parkinson’s disease finally pushed her over the edge, her husband Terry found her kneeling beside her bed praying for a miracle.
—Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026
In the meantime, Perez is praying for an Easter miracle.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Community praying for restart of weekend meals program Teachers and administrators at Children's Place Preschool on Longshore Avenue call the meals a blessing.
—Mike Spatocco, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Then, there’s another approach, which is almost like praying or meditating without wanting to sound too occult.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Another ancient tradition is the extensive prayers of the faithful, interspersed with genuflections, which today include intentions as varied as praying for the pope, for the Jewish people, and for those who do not believe in God.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Surveillance footage from the home then appeared to show the man kneeling in the driveway and praying before approaching the home.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Unity in Cameroon In Cameroon, the logo has Leo praying over an open Bible with a map of Cameroon as an overlay.
—Mathew Schmalz, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
On the morning that Rebecca Crews’ battle with Parkinson’s disease finally pushed her over the edge, her husband Terry found her kneeling beside her bed praying for a miracle.
—Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026
In the meantime, Perez is praying for an Easter miracle.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Community praying for restart of weekend meals program Teachers and administrators at Children's Place Preschool on Longshore Avenue call the meals a blessing.
—Mike Spatocco, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Then, there’s another approach, which is almost like praying or meditating without wanting to sound too occult.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Another ancient tradition is the extensive prayers of the faithful, interspersed with genuflections, which today include intentions as varied as praying for the pope, for the Jewish people, and for those who do not believe in God.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for praying
Verb
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The Blue Jays have been begging for a spark for the last six games, anything to reignite an offence and bring home a win.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
From the colorful pattern to the movement of her blouse, every inch of Hudson's outfit is begging to be worn during a breezy brunch outside with friends.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The court will also hear arguments from a handful of news outlets petitioning to unseal the warrant that allowed the Sheriff’s Office to seize ballots.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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But Flynn also oozes sniveling self-righteousness while hotly defending and petitioning for childhood innocence (amusing hints emerge that the daughter is a somewhat lazy and dim underachiever).—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Praying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/praying. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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