VocabauraVOCABAURA

preparation

noun

Simple meaning

Preparing something by the application of heat.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

prehperayshuhn

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

pɹɛpɚˈeɪʃən

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. The act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat

  2. uncountable

    The act of preparing or getting ready.

  3. A substance prepared according to a formula

    “The physician prescribed a commercial preparation of the medicine.”

  4. The state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)

  5. uncountable

    The state of being prepared; readiness.

  6. A substance, especially a remedy, that is prepared.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Typical Use
Everyday English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: The act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat

Used this way, preparation is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
Matter-of-fact
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use preparation

  • “Preparations for the ceremony had begun.”noun

Share your sentence

Write your own example sentence using “preparation”. We review each one before it appears.

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

food preparationsample preparationteacher preparationcareful preparationprofessional preparationspecial preparationadequate preparation

Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • preparation firenounCompound term

    Fire delivered on a target in preparation for an assault.

  • A course that teaches pregnant women to use breathing and concentration and exercise techniques to use during labor.

Related Words

Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.

Use This Word

See how this word sounds in a real sentence.

Ask Vocabaura

Understand the word your way.

What Does It Mean Here?

Words can change meaning depending on context.

Use it yourself

Keep learning “preparation” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.

Want to type words like this one without looking at the keyboard? Each typing round draws from words you've learned, saved or need to review. Follow the free Learn to Type lessons and type your own vocabulary with confidence.

Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.