prep
noun
prep
1 American
[prep]
/ prɛp /
noun
-
preps
plural
-
a preliminary or warm-up activity or event; trial run.
The race is a good prep for the Kentucky Derby.
-
preparation.
dealer prep on the car included.
-
the act of preparing a patient for a medical or surgical procedure.
adjective
-
preparatory.
a prep school.
-
involving or used for preparation.
the mortuary's prep room.
verb (used with object)
prepped,
prepping
-
to prepare (a person) for a test, debate, etc.
-
to prepare (a patient) for a medical or surgical procedure, as by shaving and washing the skin with an antibacterial soap.
-
to prepare (a vehicle or craft) for sale, use, a test drive, or a race.
-
to prepare (something); make ready.
You can prep the onions and peppers in advance.
verb (used without object)
prepped,
prepping
-
to prepare; get ready.
to prep for the game.
-
to attend a preparatory school.
PrEP
2
American
[prep]
/ prɛp /
noun
Medicine/Medical.
prep.
3
American
abbreviation
-
preparation.
-
preparatory.
-
prepare.
-
preposition.
prep.
1
British
abbreviation
-
preparation
-
preparatory
-
preposition
prep
2
British
/ prɛp /
noun
verb
Usage
What else does prep mean? Preps are people who live a preppy lifestyle, associated with young, rich, usually white men and their stereotypical fashion.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of prep
First recorded in 1860–65; by shortening
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:
Although some larger high schools now run their athletics departments like college programs, the basic issues in covering a prep sports event remain unchanged.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
"I thought our prep was spot-on, no excuses."
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
I gave them another try recently, when suffering through colonoscopy prep.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
This last week, getting to direct a piece that I wrote, was even more fun because I’d pictured it already in my mind when I was writing it, which is a form of prep.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
We got home, and Uncle Frank asked Carmen to help prep dinner.
From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya
“A lot of the programs and community services and networks that the world relied on to deliver HIV/AIDS treatment and PrEP have been dismantled or abandoned for lack of funding for a year,” Maybarduk says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
The US government has already slashed other longstanding HIV/AIDS prevention programs including for PrEP, which had been encouraged to prevent HIV among people engaged in high-risk activities.
From Barron's ● Nov. 18, 2025
Other factors such as homelessness can make it difficult to take oral PrEP every day.
From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2025
It's PrEPHer program, named after the preventative medication protecting against HIV transmission, seeks to provide Black and brown women with education on sexual health, encourage PrEP usage and connect them with resources.
From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2025
Among those on the chopping block were grants related to PrEP, the regimen of drugs that can thwart HIV infection, scientists told the New York Times.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 29, 2025
“There’s no such thing as too much site prep. The more you can prepare an area, the better it’s going to look later on,” he says.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 17, 2023
“We really connected more on the mental side of it. The prep. How much it takes to be prepared,” he said.
From Fox News ● Jan. 26, 2020
“And it really doesn’t cost a lot to start a prep. I mean, you started with one printer.”
From The Verge ● Nov. 14, 2019
“This time, Mayor Pete cleared his schedule to focus on debate prep. He’s not even going to make it to T-ball practice or Timmy’s pizza party,” Triumph observed.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 29, 2019
The others were wild at getting extra prep. this morning.
From The Jolliest Term on Record A Story of School Life by Angela Brazil
She preps "summer baskets" which include puzzle books, reading books and snacks to curb any boredom.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
The co-founders likened it to the way a restaurant kitchen preps ingredients in bulk—chopped vegetables, sauces—that can be used in cooking many types of dishes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
"The crew just shared a peaceful breakfast with our families and we jump back into training tomorrow to start our preps for a March launch to the Moon."
From Barron's ● Feb. 3, 2026
The Escambia High coach had been in the South Florida preps scene long enough to know what he was seeing from his new running back.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2025
Leevy, who was my neighbor back in 12, gives a cautious hello to the preps, and Gale’s mother, Hazelle, who must know about their imprisonment, holds up a spoonful of the stew.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
A Niçoise salad is a meal in itself that can be prepped ahead of time, and multiplied to feed many.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
"I was literally being prepped to go into surgery when I first found out online that was happening," he said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
"The heat is staying regardless and it will be the same next year, so people need to get prepped and book ahead," he said.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
Then, while the paper was being prepped for publication, BP began aggressively promoting the ideas it contained.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
I prepped the tables and bunks for holding the weight of soil, and even put the dirt in place.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Ahead of the album’s release, Rideaux, Asghedom and their teams are prepping to host “The Prolific Experience”— a playback session and panel discussion at The Novo in downtown Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Fluhler said that, for the time being, staff members are prepping around two-thirds of what they were before, a move that’s helped lower costs, since the owners don’t have to buy those products.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
It quickly became my default and it works for single servings or meal prepping, if you don’t want to worry about lunch for a few days.
From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2026
For students prepping for life after college, it’s an agonizing challenge: Internships are becoming more critical to landing that first job—yet are getting harder to come by.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 25, 2026
Mine was marked by aloof boys, prepping for the SATs, and a looming fear of deportation.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
