pray

verb

ˈprā

prayed; praying; prays

Synonyms of pray next

transitive verb

: entreat, implore

—often used as a function word in introducing a question, request, or plea

pray be careful

: to get or bring by praying

intransitive verb

: to make a request in a humble manner

: to address God or a god with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving

Examples of pray in a Sentence

There's little else to do now but hope and pray. The minister said, “Let us pray.” He prayed that they would have the strength to go on. He prayed that he would find a parking spot.

Recent Examples on the Web The star running back was carted off, and the entire Browns team surrounded him on the field, some crying, some praying. —

Ashley Bastock, cleveland, 19 Sep. 2023 She was raised in a Presbyterian household in Santa Barbara, where her father insisted that the family pray before every meal and sang hymns with the children before bed. —

Nina Chhita, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023 By sunset, the strains of guitar music and drums could be heard, encouraging people to come and pray, as a light rain began to fall. —

Sophie Neiman, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Sep. 2023 Dallas police officers in tactical gear converge on a stall where Lopez is crouched in a praying position, appearing asleep or unconscious. —

Michael Williams, Dallas News, 18 Sep. 2023 Is the demon in Annabelle the same Ram that the cult prays to? —

Vulture, 15 Sep. 2023 Chabad is a Hasidic movement whose modest synagogues are known worldwide as places to pray and eat for free on holidays and festivals. —

Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023 The new rule in this case extended the previous term’s dramatic change in the constitutional law of religion in the praying coach case, Kennedy v. Bremerton. —

Morgan Marietta, The Conversation, 13 Sep. 2023 Denied free speech Kennedy lost his coaching job in 2015 following a battle with the school district over a dispute that centered around Kennedy's practice of praying at the 50-yard line immediately after games, at times including players. —

Jeff Graham, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pray.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French prier, praer, preier, from Latin precari, from prec-, prex request, prayer; akin to Old High German frāga question, frāgēn to ask, Sanskrit pṛcchati he asks

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of pray was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century