plural preppers
: a person who prepares something or prepares for something
a food/meal prepper
a hair prepper
specifically : a person who gathers materials and makes plans in preparation for surviving a major disaster or cataclysm (such as worldwide economic collapse or war)
doomsday preppers
I consider myself something of a prepper. I don't necessarily believe there is an apocalypse coming anytime soon. However, there are certain items I always keep on hand just in case. Jennifer Wyatt Emory

Examples of prepper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Layered with baked eggs, pesto, and cheese, this is the kind of make-ahead breakfast sandwich meal preppers dream of. Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2026 High-protein waffles are popular among meal preppers, while those made with fresh fruit are ideal for snacking. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2025 Gary especially latches on to this scenario and starts to get deep into the doomsday-prepper world. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026 But Stasher's high quality, reusable pieces are genuinely exciting (at least for leftover lovers, meal-preppers, and parents). Editors Of Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prepper

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prepper was in 1904

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Cite this Entry

“Prepper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prepper. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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