as in begs
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 prays
In 2015, the Los Angeles Times reported Villaraigosa was a consultant to Herbalife, a controversial multi-level marketing company that critics say prays on low-income would-be entrepreneurs.
—
Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Who prays to a woman, a real live person?
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Mamdani prays during iftar with taxi drivers Mamdani marked the month of Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month that concluded Thursday night, by attending 17 iftars around New York City.
—Katherine Koretski, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Isaac prays to God on her behalf, God answers the prayer, and Rebekah conceives.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
Roger prays, and Amy takes her last breath.
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
So everyone crosses their fingers, hopes mostly for good health and then prays that an extended late season break doesn’t derail the momentum the Stars have managed to create in the last 10 days.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
Instead, the 26-year-old gets ready, journals, prays and reads.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
In the midst of this danger, Thecla stands, reaches out her hands and prays to God.
—Christy Cobb, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Who prays to a woman, a real live person?
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Mamdani prays during iftar with taxi drivers Mamdani marked the month of Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month that concluded Thursday night, by attending 17 iftars around New York City.
—Katherine Koretski, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Isaac prays to God on her behalf, God answers the prayer, and Rebekah conceives.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
Roger prays, and Amy takes her last breath.
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
So everyone crosses their fingers, hopes mostly for good health and then prays that an extended late season break doesn’t derail the momentum the Stars have managed to create in the last 10 days.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
Instead, the 26-year-old gets ready, journals, prays and reads.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
In the midst of this danger, Thecla stands, reaches out her hands and prays to God.
—Christy Cobb, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prays
Verb
-
Fingal, a more scholarly type, begs to differ.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
-
But Caitlin begs Vix to come to her wedding, to be her maid of honor.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The film hands off its plot like a baton, passing from this dissatisfied shopper to a factory owner to her dead daughter-in-law (another ghost) who petitions the government for her civil rights despite being in the body of an appliance.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sweeney asks in the commercial, posing in denim shorts against a blue sky backdrop, while smiling and playing with her hair.—
Shad Powers,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Feeling understood is comforting, but leadership asks something different from us.—
Jonathan Alpert OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prays. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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