prepare
Americanverb (used with object)
-
prepares,
present (3rd person singular)
-
prepared,
past participle, past
-
preparing
present participle
-
to put in proper condition or readiness.
to prepare a patient for surgery.
- Antonyms:
- disorganize
-
to get (a meal) ready for eating, as by proper assembling, cooking, etc.
-
to manufacture, compound, or compose.
to prepare a cough syrup.
- Synonyms:
- make
-
Music. to lead up to (a discord, an embellishment, etc.) by some preliminary tone or tones.
verb (used without object)
-
prepares,
present (3rd person singular)
-
prepared,
past participle, past
-
preparing
present participle
verb
-
to make ready or suitable in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
to prepare a meal
to prepare to go
-
to put together using parts or ingredients; compose or construct
-
(tr) to equip or outfit, as for an expedition
-
(tr) music to soften the impact of (a dissonant note) by the use of preparation
-
(foll by an infinitive) to be willing and able (to do something)
I'm not prepared to reveal these figures
Synonym Usage
Prepare, contrive, devise imply planning for and making ready for something expected or thought possible. To prepare is to make ready beforehand for some approaching event, need, and the like: to prepare a room, a speech. Contrive and devise emphasize the exercise of ingenuity and inventiveness. The first word suggests a shrewdness that borders on trickery, but this is absent from devise : to contrive a means of escape; to devise a time-saving method.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
preparesimple
-
preparessimple
-
have preparedperfect
-
has preparedperfect
-
am preparingprogressive
-
are preparingprogressive
-
is preparingprogressive
-
have been preparingperfect progressive
-
has been preparingperfect progressive
Past
-
preparedsimple
-
had preparedperfect
-
was preparingprogressive
-
were preparingprogressive
-
had been preparingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of prepare
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin praeparāre “to make ready beforehand,” equivalent to prae- pre- + parāre “to set, get ready” (akin to parent )
Explanation
To prepare means to get ready for something. When you prepare for a test, you'll get a better score than if you don’t. Look at all the variations that you find with prepare. If you prepare yourself mentally for an experience, you sent you mind on it happening. If you're going to tell your family that you're moving out, you might want to prepare them by having them sit down. Are you prepared for their reaction? Are you prepared to defend your decision? You can prepare wood to be painted by cleaning and sanding it. And if you prepare dinner, you cook it.
Vocabulary lists containing prepare
PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act I
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Exceptionally high tides are set to hit California as early as this weekend, sending officials scrambling to prepare for another onslaught along the state’s already battered coast.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
On a windy morning in Maine's busiest lobster port of Stonington, bearded men in orange trouser bibs sort lobsters into bins, work on their steel wire traps, or prepare their boats.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026
As companies prepare to post their earnings for the quarter, the spotlight is on oil majors after severe tightness in global fuel markets drove refining margins to all-time highs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Meanwhile, the Metro warns readers to "prepare for the worst" after websites around the world were taken offline after cyber-security flaws were revealed in a globally-used programming language, PHP.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
“They will help prepare you for surviving the apocalypse. For surviving...SURVIVAL NIGHT!”
From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth
President Bola Tinubu kicked off his re-election campaign Saturday promising "a better tomorrow" as Nigeria prepares to head to the polls in a vote set to be defined by the rising cost of living.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026
It comes as chancellor John Healey prepares to deliver his Budget next week that is likely to tax banks.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
As she prepares to celebrate the release of “I Can’t Stop” with a six-date book tour, Hanawalt can’t say for sure if she’s answered any existential midlife questions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
Arby’s has named Jenna Bromberg its new chief marketing officer as the sandwich chain attempts to regain momentum and parent company Inspire Brands prepares for a planned IPO.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Mount Carmel Missionary Circle prepares a bake sale to raise funds for Briggs v.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
The president has been briefed on a series of options prepared by the Pentagon, officials said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026
The full findings are still being prepared for public release, but researchers believe the technology could significantly expand treatment options for millions of people.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
The grocer specializes in Mexican and Latino foods, including prepared meals, fresh meats from a butcher’s counter, aguas frescas and a variety of produce.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
He wonders whether older generations were “more prepared to be challenged by fiction,” without distractions like streaming or social media competing for their attention.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
She had no notes to speak from, nor any speech prepared.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
Special Forces preparing for Arctic warfare and spent weeks on a cargo ship navigating ice in the Northwest Passage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026
Japan's space agency, JAXA, is preparing a sample-return mission to Phobos, one of Mars' two moons.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
The city was also “reinforcing protective sand berms, preparing pumps and tide valves and positioning resources in flood-prone areas,” officials said on social media.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
In October, the term Hunter's Moon comes from the time of year hunters would have been most active, preparing for the colder and darker winter months ahead.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
Khrushchev returned home and began preparing to host the American president.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
