pray
verb (used with object)
to offer devout petition, praise, thanks, etc., to (God or an object of worship).
prayed
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past participleof pray.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof pray.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
prayverb (used with object)to offer devout petition, praise, thanks, etc., to (God or an object of worship).
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Indonesian schoolchildren prayed for rain on Thursday as another firefighter lost his life battling drought-fuelled blazes consuming forests and peatlands and blanketing parts of Southeast Asia in a sickening haze.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
"I want to thank my legal team and everyone who has stood with and supported me, and especially the many people who have prayed for me throughout this ordeal."
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
Nepal held a national day of mourning Monday for victims of devastating glacial floods, as families of missing hydropower workers feared trapped in tunnels prayed rescuers might yet find them alive.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
An elderly woman in a surgical mask rocked slightly as she prayed, eyes closed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
I hoped and prayed that Hannie would be the one to give me those answers.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
