plural prey also preys
preyed; preying
1
a
: to seize and devour prey
b
: to commit violence or robbery or fraud
2
: to have an injurious, destructive, or wasting effect
worry preyed upon his mind
3
: to make raids for the sake of booty
preyer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of prey in a Sentence
Noun
The lion stalked its prey.
The bird circled above looking for prey.
The seals are easy prey for sharks.
Too often elderly people are easy prey for swindlers and other criminals.
Recent Examples on the Web
Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
Tracking the bird flu, experts see a familiar threat — and a virus whose course is hard to predict
Several states have recently reported detecting H5N1 in cattle, a species which up until now has not been among the long list of animals that have fallen prey to this virus.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 1 Apr. 2024
Some alliances are nothing more than nonaggression pacts that allow predators to devour their prey rather than devouring one another.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2024
Much like an unexpected free dinner will distract you from the leftovers sitting in your fridge, this summer’s cicada emergence will turn predators away from their usual prey.
—Celia Ford, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
Instead, a vast shopping centre was prey to the same terrors of 2002, the same startling security failure in the capital.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024
When whales evolved, Churchill points out, the oceans were not as productive and full of fishy prey as in more recent times.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024
Written by Ulrike Tony Vahl and produced by Martina Haubrich, the German series follows an idyllic community torn asunder when its children fall prey to a mysterious malady.
—Ben Croll, Variety, 20 Mar. 2024
But after falling prey to one too many lecherous interactions, including with her incel stepbrother Brad (Will Connolly), Dawn’s feminine rage takes over and she transitions from cherubic church leader to murderous siren.
—Brittani Samuel, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Milana Mazaeva, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024
There’s also an inherent class critique in Ripley’s ability to prey upon these privileged expatriates, the proverbial shark among minnows.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
How to Catch Crappie in Windy Conditions Wave action creates cloudy water perfect for ambushes, and crappie emerge from channels to prey on bait feeding on windblown plankton.
—Don Wirth, Field & Stream, 4 Apr. 2024
The disease was deemed fatal in owls who preyed on pigeons.
—USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Neither Israeli troops nor the Hamas police force is on the streets, leaving citizens prey to a dangerous breakdown of law and order.
—Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024
On land, birds, crabs, and small mammals prey on eggs and hatchlings.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024
Even with their impressive length, Fraser says that the larger ichthyosaurs of the era — massive marine reptiles that once ruled the seas — may have preyed on Dinocephalosaurus.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024
Coyotes may prey on the small mammals and birds attracted to a backyard bird feeder or garden.
—Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024
Noun
Do not crouch down in front of an alligator because alligators pick their prey based on size.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
Tracking the bird flu, experts see a familiar threat — and a virus whose course is hard to predict
Several states have recently reported detecting H5N1 in cattle, a species which up until now has not been among the long list of animals that have fallen prey to this virus.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 1 Apr. 2024
Some alliances are nothing more than nonaggression pacts that allow predators to devour their prey rather than devouring one another.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2024
Much like an unexpected free dinner will distract you from the leftovers sitting in your fridge, this summer’s cicada emergence will turn predators away from their usual prey.
—Celia Ford, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
Instead, a vast shopping centre was prey to the same terrors of 2002, the same startling security failure in the capital.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024
When whales evolved, Churchill points out, the oceans were not as productive and full of fishy prey as in more recent times.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024
Written by Ulrike Tony Vahl and produced by Martina Haubrich, the German series follows an idyllic community torn asunder when its children fall prey to a mysterious malady.
—Ben Croll, Variety, 20 Mar. 2024
But after falling prey to one too many lecherous interactions, including with her incel stepbrother Brad (Will Connolly), Dawn’s feminine rage takes over and she transitions from cherubic church leader to murderous siren.
—Brittani Samuel, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Verb
The head of the gang had been sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2016 for preying on motorists but was released to serve in Ukraine.
—Milana Mazaeva, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024
There’s also an inherent class critique in Ripley’s ability to prey upon these privileged expatriates, the proverbial shark among minnows.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
How to Catch Crappie in Windy Conditions Wave action creates cloudy water perfect for ambushes, and crappie emerge from channels to prey on bait feeding on windblown plankton.
—Don Wirth, Field & Stream, 4 Apr. 2024
The disease was deemed fatal in owls who preyed on pigeons.
—USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Neither Israeli troops nor the Hamas police force is on the streets, leaving citizens prey to a dangerous breakdown of law and order.
—Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024
On land, birds, crabs, and small mammals prey on eggs and hatchlings.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024
Even with their impressive length, Fraser says that the larger ichthyosaurs of the era — massive marine reptiles that once ruled the seas — may have preyed on Dinocephalosaurus.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024
Coyotes may prey on the small mammals and birds attracted to a backyard bird feeder or garden.
—Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prey.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prey
Cite this Entry
“Prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prey. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prey
2 of 2 verb
preyed; preying
1
a
: to seize and eat something as prey
b
: to do violent or dishonest acts
robbers who preyed on travelers
2
: to have a harmful effect
fears that prey on the mind
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