The prompt meaning depends on how the word is used: as an adjective it means done quickly or right on time, the verb means to cause something or to give someone a cue, and the noun names the cue or instruction itself. A prompt reply arrives fast. A strange noise can prompt you to check the car. A writing prompt gives a class something to write about.
All three uses share one picture: something brought forward and ready. That is why the same short word can describe a punctual person, a reason for an action and a line of text on a screen.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
Quick and on time; to cause or cue; a cue or instructionPart of speech
Adjective, verb and nounPronunciation
PROMPT (one syllable; the p before t is often soft)Word forms
promptly, promptness, prompted, prompting, prompterOrigin
Latin promptus, "brought forth, ready", from promere, "to bring forth"Opposite
late, slow, delayed (adjective); discourage, deter (verb)Register
Neutral; common at work, school and in computing
Prompt meaning and definition: three jobs for one word
If you want to define prompt, start with the part of speech in front of you:
- Adjective: quick or punctual. "Thanks for the prompt payment." "She is always prompt for meetings." It praises speed or being on time.
- Verb: to cause or move someone to act. "The heat prompted the school to cancel sports day." Here prompt means "led to" or "triggered".
- Verb: to remind someone what to say. An actor who forgets a line is prompted from the side of the stage. A teacher might prompt a shy student with the first word of the answer.
- Noun: a cue, hint or instruction. This covers a cue given to a speaker, a question set for an essay, and a short message on a screen asking you to type something.
Seeing prompt at work in sentences
- The bank sent a prompt reply, and the error on my statement was fixed by lunch.
- Rising rents prompted many students to share flats.
- When the presenter froze, his colleague prompted him with the next slide title.
- Our essay prompt this week asks whether homework should be optional.
- Please arrive promptly at nine, because the doors close at five past.
Where the word came from
Prompt comes from Latin promptus, meaning "brought forth", and later "visible, at hand, ready". That Latin form comes from the verb promere, "to bring forth". The verb appears in English in the mid 1300s with the sense "to urge to action". The adjective followed in the early 1400s, though the sense "acting without delay" is recorded from the 1520s. Feeding lines to actors is recorded by the 1670s, and the computer sense, a message that invites the user to respond, dates from the late twentieth century.
Grammar notes and common pairings
As a verb, prompt usually takes an object and often a to infinitive: prompt someone to do something. It also pairs with nouns of reaction: prompt a review, prompt an investigation, prompt concern, prompt a rethink. The passive is common too: "The change was prompted by complaints."
The adjective goes before nouns (prompt action, prompt delivery, prompt service, prompt attention) or after be ("Be prompt"). The adverb promptly can also mean "immediately afterwards", sometimes with a touch of humour: "He promised to diet and promptly ordered dessert." The noun promptness names the quality of being on time.
Prompt compared with close words
| Term | When it fits |
|---|---|
| prompt | Quick and on time, often as a matter of good manners or rules |
| punctual | Only about arriving or finishing at the agreed time |
| immediate | Happening at once, with no gap at all |
| trigger (verb) | Sets something off, often suddenly; sounds stronger than prompt |
| cue (noun) | A signal to start; close to prompt, used a lot in theatre and music |
A catalyst also causes change, but it is a bigger, more formal idea than a simple prompt. The opposite of a prompt person is one who delays, which links to procrastination.
Prompt at work, school and on screens
In offices, prompt payment and prompt response are standard phrases in contracts and emails; a supplier might offer a discount for paying within ten days. In classrooms, a prompt is a question or picture that starts a piece of writing or a discussion, and teachers prompt students by giving hints rather than answers. On computers, the command prompt is the line where you type instructions, and many apps now show prompts that guide you through each step. Plenty of similar workday words sit in our everyday vocabulary list.
Slips people make with prompt
Never write "prompt to" when you mean "prone to": a person is prone to colds, not prompt to them. Avoid "promptly on time", which repeats itself; "promptly at six" or "on time" is enough. And remember that prompting someone is gentle. If you mean forcing them, choose compel or pressure instead. Being diligent and being prompt often go together, but one is about care and the other about timing.
Frequently asked questions
What does prompt mean in simple words?
As an adjective it means quick or on time. Used as a verb, prompt can mean cause something or remind a speaker of a line. The noun names a cue, a question to respond to, or a message on a screen asking for input.
Is prompt a verb or an adjective?
It is both, and also a noun. "A prompt answer" uses the adjective, "Her question prompted a debate" uses the verb, and "Type at the prompt" uses the noun.
What is a writing prompt?
It is a short question, sentence or image that gives you a starting point for writing. Teachers and exam boards use prompts so everyone writes on the same topic.
What does prompted mean in an email?
If a message says "Your feedback prompted this change", it means your feedback caused or led to the change. "You will be prompted to log in" means a box will appear asking you to log in.
How is prompt different from punctual?
Punctual is only about time: arriving or finishing when agreed. Prompt covers time too, but also speed of response, so a prompt refund or prompt help is fine while a punctual refund sounds odd.
What is the opposite of prompt?
For the adjective, late, slow, tardy or delayed. For the verb, words like deter or discourage, which stop someone acting rather than moving them to act.