as in begs
to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner
I pray you: tell me where they went
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 prays
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
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
Shortly after, viewers see chest compressions being performed on Jo as Link (Chris Carmack) prays in a church surrounded by candles.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
And a poet prays words still matter.
—Becky Bartkowski, AZCentral.com, 27 Dec. 2025
My father prays to the God of his upbringing and begs the Holy Father to disappear my grandfather.
—Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025
Katherine Koretski, CNN Money, 20 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
Shortly after, viewers see chest compressions being performed on Jo as Link (Chris Carmack) prays in a church surrounded by candles.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
And a poet prays words still matter.
—Becky Bartkowski, AZCentral.com, 27 Dec. 2025
My father prays to the God of his upbringing and begs the Holy Father to disappear my grandfather.
—Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prays
Verb
-
That begs the question, why bother with hydrogen?—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The almost-haunting minute-and-a-half trailer begs the question — is Mulligan’s Lindsay happy with Isaac’s Josh.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
2 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
-
At the beginning of the story, Bruce asks Louise to rate her pain from one to ten—something that medical professionals are trained to do.—
Nina Mesfin,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
With his approval rating slipping and scrutiny mounting over how his office communicates with Marylanders, this week’s reader poll asks whether voters still trust the governor to level with the public.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prays. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
