prepare

verb

pre·​pare pri-ˈper 

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

Synonyms

• fit
• fix
• groom
• lay
• prep
• ready

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

Dennis and Cheryl McMurray had come home from dinner on Jan. 7 and were preparing for bed when Cheryl’s cousin called. —Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025

Jim Cramer noted that Club stock Meta is an obvious winner if that goes into effect, but there's a lot of uncertainty around what will happen in the coming days as President Joe Biden prepares to leave the White House and President-elect Donald Trump gets sworn in Monday. —Jeff Marks, CNBC, 17 Jan. 2025

What sort of changes were made in preparing communities for fires? —Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025

What was once just one is now more than 100 gray and scarlet bricks as the Buckeyes prepare for their final game against Notre Dame on Monday to cap the longest college football season ever with a national championship at stake. —Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025

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

Kids Definition

prepare

verb

pre·​pare pri-ˈpa(ə)r 

-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

pre·​pare pri-ˈpa(ə)r, -ˈpe(ə)r 

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