poached; poaching; poaches
: to cook in simmering liquid
poached; poaching; poaches
1
: to encroach upon especially for the purpose of taking something
2
: to trespass for the purpose of stealing game
also
: to take game or fish illegally
1
: to trespass on
a field poached too frequently by the amateur—
The Times Literary Supplement (London)
The Times Literary Supplement (London)2
a
: to take (game or fish) by illegal methods
b
: to appropriate (something) as one's own
c
: to attract (someone, such as an employee or customer) away from a competitor
Examples of poach in a Sentence
Verb (1)
poaching fish in a stock flavored with white wine
Recent Examples on the Web
Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Oct. 2025
Meta has previously tried to poach more than a dozen members of Murati's team.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Its generous capacity is perfect for preparing stews and chilis, batch cooking, blanching vegetables, and even poaching.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
The emergence of online marketplaces and persistent demand—especially for products like pangolin scales, rhino horn and ivory—continue to drive the poaching crisis.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poach
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
Add the shrimp and poach for one to two minutes.
—Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Oct. 2025
Meta has previously tried to poach more than a dozen members of Murati's team.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Its generous capacity is perfect for preparing stews and chilis, batch cooking, blanching vegetables, and even poaching.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
The emergence of online marketplaces and persistent demand—especially for products like pangolin scales, rhino horn and ivory—continue to drive the poaching crisis.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poach
Cite this Entry
“Poach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poach. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
poach
1 of 2 verb
: to cook in simmering liquid
poached eggs
poach
2 of 2 verb
: to hunt or fish unlawfully
poacher
noun
Etymology
Verb
Middle English pochen "to boil an egg without its shell so that the white covers the yolk like a bag," from early French pocher (same meaning), from earlier pochier, literally, "to put into a bag," from poche "bag, pocket"
Verb
from early French pocher "to hunt or fish unlawfully"
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share