祷告，或称祈祷，是主动和上帝（天主）、神灵或灵性的个体沟通来赞美、祈求、忏悔或者表达自己的思想或愿望的行为。

不同信仰传统有不同祷告形式，例如早祷晚祷、谢饭祷和相关的身体姿势。基督徒会低头合手。印第安人跳舞。苏菲派穆斯林旋转。印度教徒诵唱。正统犹太人摆动身体。贵格会会员缄默。这些不同方式反映对祷告理解。 人类学家相信早期智人从事我们会称为祷告的活动。

Prayer (from the Latin precari "to ask earnestly, beg, entreat") is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication.

Prayer can be a form of religious practice, may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words, song or complete silence. When language is used, prayer may take the form of a hymn, incantation, formal creedal statement, or a spontaneous utterance in the praying person. There are different forms of prayer such as petitionary prayer, prayers of supplication, thanksgiving, and praise. Prayer may be directed towards a deity, spirit, deceased person, or lofty idea, for the purpose of worshipping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing transgressions (sins) or to express one's thoughts and emotions. Thus, people pray for many reasons such as personal benefit, asking for divine grace, spiritual connection, or for the sake of others.