prompt

1 of 4

verb

prompted; prompting; prompts

transitive verb

1
: to move to action : incite
2
: to assist (one acting or reciting) by suggesting or saying the next words of something forgotten or imperfectly learned : cue
3
: to serve as the inciting cause of
evidence prompting an investigation
prompter noun

prompt

2 of 4

adjective (1)

: of or relating to prompting actors

prompt

3 of 4

adjective (2)

1
: being ready and quick to act as occasion demands
2
: performed readily or immediately
prompt assistance
promptness
ˈpräm(p)t-nəs How to pronounce prompt (audio)
ˈprämp-nəs
noun

prompt

4 of 4

noun

plural prompts ˈpräm(p)ts How to pronounce prompt (audio)
ˈprämps
1
[prompt entry 1] : something that prompts : reminder
2
[prompt entry 3] : a limit of time given for payment of an account for goods purchased
also : the contract by which this time is fixed
Choose the Right Synonym for prompt

quick, prompt, ready, apt mean able to respond without delay or hesitation or indicative of such ability.

quick stresses instancy of response and is likely to connote native rather than acquired power.

quick reflexes
a keen quick mind

prompt is more likely to connote training and discipline that fits one for instant response.

prompt emergency medical care

ready suggests facility or fluency in response.

backed by a pair of ready assistants

apt stresses the possession of qualities (such as intelligence, a particular talent, or a strong bent) that makes quick effective response possible.

an apt student
her answer was apt and to the point

Examples of prompt in a Sentence

Verb Curiosity prompted her to ask a few questions. Pride prompted his angry response. The evidence prompted a criminal investigation. “Did you hear me?” he prompted when his friend did not respond to his first question. The actor had to be prompted by someone who was standing offstage. The computer prompted me to type in a number. Noun The actor was given a prompt by someone offstage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The chaos caused by the cyberattack is prompting a reckoning for senior US cybersecurity officials about the vulnerabilities in hugely important companies that underpin the health care system. Sean Lyngaas, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, the broadside from Krekorian was strong enough to prompt Horvath to issue her clapback. David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Last year during Ramadan, an Israeli raid on the mosque left more than two dozens worshipers injured, prompting rocket fire from Gaza and retaliatory Israeli airstrikes. Kelsey Ables, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 The Pentagon established the office and launched the review in response to a fresh surge of interest in alien sightings that was prompted by the 2020 release of mysterious videos taken by naval aviators. Dave Smith, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 The last few months have been studded with strong economic data, prompting analysts surveyed by the National Association for Business Economics to raise their forecasts for gross domestic product and lower their expectations for the trajectory of unemployment. Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Biden’s unscripted remarks, prompted by an exchange with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., provided one of the night’s most tense moments. Michael Collins, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 This then triggers the sympathetic nervous system, which prompts the release of hormones like cortisol via the adrenal glands. Georgia Day, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2024 The decision prompted an outcry from groups across the country. Kim Chandler The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The casino’s reputation for fairness, customer service, and prompt payment solidifies its place among the best online blackjack sites. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Enhance customer satisfaction with prompt assistance and streamline internal operations for improved productivity. Stoyan Mitov, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 And a new diagnosis of Parkinson’s, without prompt treatment, on top of her recent loss and the challenges that have followed, may further overwhelm her. Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Then of course are the human jobs—like prompt engineer—that have cropped up in response to the AI boom and command high six-figure salaries and lasting relevance. Jane Thier, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 Swift and Dependable Response: Recognizing the essence of time in emergency situations, The Fast Fire Watch Co.'s prompt response and consistent reliability are pivotal reasons behind their widespread trust in the industry. Kyle Russell, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 The ensuing fear helped prompt clashes at drag shows and a flood of legislation aimed at limiting the rights of transgender people in dozens of states. Will Carless, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024 The patient in the most recent case received prompt treatment, officials said. Plague cases among humans in the United States mostly occur in rural areas of the western U.S., but the disease is more common in parts of Africa and Asia, the CDC said. Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 12 Feb. 2024 Advanced training on all aspects of prompt engineering, including adversarial prompt engineering and data processing. Bernard Marr, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
Noun
For those interested in tapping in and unsure where to begin, here are four journaling prompts, categorized topically, to guide the process. Essence, 11 Mar. 2024 But Sunday's incident also comes at a time when the media and the public are on high alert over artificial intelligence and its ability to create realistic images—and, increasingly, voices and video—from simple prompts. Brian Barrett, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 To conduct its report, researchers at CCDH created a list of 40 prompts related to the 2024 presidential election to test each AI image generator. Clare Duffy, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 Other companies soon followed with products that allow realistic generation of text, sound and imagery in response to user prompts. Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 Here are two journaling prompts that use the rosy retrospection technique, based on the study. Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 This was a much smoother experience than using Assistant, which struggles with long voice prompts and often doesn't offer the option, or even understand, detail changes. Janhoi McGregor, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 This is Sora, a new tool from OpenAI that can create lifelike, minute-long videos from simple text prompts. Tyler Remmel, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Intriguingly, the company also showed off an AI feature capable of scanning your photos and then creating new pictures of you using text prompts. Julian Chokkattu Simon Hill, WIRED, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prompt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Medieval Latin promptare, from Latin promptus prompt

Adjective (2)

Middle English, from Latin promptus ready, prompt, from past participle of promere to bring forth, from pro- forth + emere to take — more at redeem

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (1)

1784, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prompt was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near prompt

Cite this Entry

“Prompt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prompt. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

prompt

1 of 3 verb
1
: to lead to do something
curiosity prompted her to ask the question
2
: to remind of something forgotten or poorly learned
prompt an actor
3
: to be the cause of : inspire
pride prompted the act

prompt

2 of 3 adjective
1
a
: being ready and quick to act
prompt to answer
b
: being on time : punctual
prompt in arriving
2
: done at once : given without delay
prompt assistance
promptly adverb
promptness noun

prompt

3 of 3 noun
: something that prompts : reminder

More from Merriam-Webster on prompt

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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