prone

Meanings

1. 1adjectiveafter a verb

   Likely to suffer from something bad or to do something bad, often because of your nature or situation.

   Grammar: Follows be or become, with to: she is prone to headaches.

   Patterns

   • be prone to something
   • be prone to doing something

   This old road is prone to flooding after heavy rain.

   He is prone to losing his temper when he is tired.

   Some children are prone to ear infections.

2. 2adjectivenot comparableformal

   Lying flat with the chest and stomach facing down.

   Grammar: Describes body position: lie prone, a prone figure.

   Patterns

   • lie prone
   • in a prone position

   The soldier lay prone on the ground to avoid being seen.

   The patient was placed in a prone position for the scan.

   A prone figure lay still under the tree.

Word forms

Common combinations

prone to error

Tired workers are more prone to error.

accident-prone

My brother is so accident-prone that he keeps tripping.

prone to flooding

The valley is prone to flooding each spring.

lie prone

The sniper lay prone on the roof.

prone position

Babies should not sleep in a prone position.

Synonyms and how they differ

susceptible

Susceptible suggests being easily affected by an outside influence such as disease, while prone points to a habit or tendency.

liable

Liable often carries the idea of being likely to experience something unwanted, and can also mean legally responsible.

inclined

Inclined suggests a leaning toward an action and is not always negative.

apt

Apt is a milder, slightly more formal word for a natural tendency.

Opposites

Word family

proneness noun

a tendency to do or suffer something

prone adverb

in a lying-down position, as in lying prone

accident-prone adjective

often having accidents

Commonly confused: prone or supine? prone or prone?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “prone”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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