Nanomaterials are emerging materials developed at the end of the 20th century that have attracted wide attention owing to their excellent and unique properties. Moreover, nanomaterial preparation is a key field in nanotechnology. In this paper, two important methods to prepare nanomaterials using pulsed laser ablation(pulsed laser deposition and pulsed laser liquid-phase ablation) are introduced, including their principles, characteristics, applications, and research progress at home and abroad. Finally, the challenges and development trends of pulsed laser deposition and pulsed laser liquid-phase ablation in terms of the preparation process and properties of nanomaterials are discussed.