prenup
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What is a prenup? Prenup is short for prenuptial agreement, a legal contract entered into by a couple before marriage that specifies things like the division of their finances and assets, especially in case the marriage ends, such as through divorce. The word prenuptial means before marriage. Prenup is informal but very commonly used, especially in casual contexts. Every prenup is different based on what the couple wants it to include. Most prenups cover things like which member of the couple is entitled to certain portions of property, inheritance, and savings, or which member is responsible for certain things, such as debt. The popular opinion about prenups has traditionally been quite negative—many people view them as pessimistic and associate their use with rich celebrities who marry people who aren’t as rich. Plus, no one who’s about to get married likes to admit that there’s a possibility that the marriage might not work out. However, many people consider it good sense to enter into a prenup, and many legal advisors recommend prenups, especially since deciding how to split up assets during a divorce can be extremely strained. Example: Everyone thought it was strange that we had a prenup, but life is unpredictable.
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.
Shoring Up Your Prenup As prenuptial agreements become more common, spouses are finding the documents easier to challenge in court.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2013
A version of this article appeared March 30, 2013, on page B6 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Shoring Up Your Prenup.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2013
Q. Prenup Dispute: My boyfriend and I recently became engaged and are, for the most part, happy and excited to be married, except for a disagreement over prenups.
From Slate • May 21, 2012
Prenup agreements await 'landmark judgment' More top stories Consumer caution causes slower high street growth 2010 budget: Banks 'to be forced' to provide accounts for all Want to be a theatre director?
From The Guardian • Mar. 23, 2010
Prenup or no prenup, the situation would be the same.
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
