prepare

verb

pre·​pare pri-ˈper How to pronounce prepare (audio)
prepared; preparing

transitive verb

1
a
: to make ready beforehand for some purpose, use, or activity
prepare food for dinner
b
: to put in a proper state of mind
is prepared to listen
2
: to work out the details of : plan in advance
preparing a campaign strategy
3
a
: to put together : compound
prepare a prescription
b
: to put into written form
prepare a report

intransitive verb

: to get ready
preparing for a career
preparer noun

Examples of prepare in a Sentence

The teacher prepared the students for the test. Your room is being prepared now and should be ready soon. The nurses prepared the patient for surgery. Farmers are busy preparing the soil for planting. They'll be arriving soon. We don't have much more time to prepare. We don't have much more time to prepare ourselves for their arrival. She tried to prepare herself for bad news. The sailors are preparing themselves for a long voyage. The pharmacist prepared the prescription.
Recent Examples on the Web The report, prepared in November by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, said only a small fraction of homeless people who were relocated from encampments had obtained permanent housing — and that hundreds simply moved back, in some cases more than were initially there. Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 His nomination for best Latin pop album, as well as preparing to welcome his first born. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 As European Union regulators prepared to implement a Big Tech law that would broadside U.S. heavyweights such as Apple and Google, the letters poured into the White House. Eva Dou, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 The post is also sold separately, so be prepared for additional post and hardware costs. Samantha S. Thorpe, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2024 Here, whitefish sourced from Eagle Creek Fish Co. in Jackson, Michigan, is simply prepared. Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 One day, in her final year, Hobson was sitting in the basement of the then Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton writing her thesis while also preparing to go on another round of interviews for analyst positions at firms in New York City. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024 Oysters are prepared seven different ways, from raw with baja mignonette, yuzu green peppercorn sauce, or cocktail sauce and lemon to jerk-style, with a Caribbean-spiced jam. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 Part 2: Strategic Financial Management This part prepares candidates for higher-level financial decision-making roles and dives deeper into strategic aspects: Financial Statement Analysis: Advanced analysis for strategic decision-making. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prepare.' 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 preparen, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French preparer, borrowed from Latin praeparāre "to furnish beforehand, put in a state of readiness," from prae- pre- + parāre "to supply, provide, make ready" — more at pare

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of prepare was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near prepare

Cite this Entry

“Prepare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prepare. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

prepare

verb
pre·​pare pri-ˈpa(ə)r How to pronounce prepare (audio)
-ˈpe(ə)r
prepared; preparing
1
: to make ready beforehand
prepared us for the news
prepare for a test
2
: to put together the elements of : compound
prepare a prescription
preparer noun

Medical Definition

prepare

transitive verb
prepared; preparing
1
: to make ready beforehand
prepare a patient for surgery
2
: to put together : compound
prepared a vaccine from live virus
prepared the doctor's prescription

More from Merriam-Webster on prepare

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