be/fall prey to

idiom

1
: to be killed by (an animal, disease, etc.)
The deer fell prey to coyotes.
Many people fell prey to disease.
2
: to be harmed or affected in a bad way by (someone or something)
After the accident, she was prey to all kinds of anxieties.
Some of his friends fell prey to drugs.

Examples of be/fall prey to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Many women fall prey to continuing to shoulder the majority of domestic duties. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025 Thousands of Americans fall prey to medical identity theft scams each year, according to Security.org, with a large number of victims belonging to older age groups. Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025 As Meta’s announcement correctly notes, passkeys can’t fall prey to phishing scams. Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 19 June 2025 The list of projects that fall prey to the sunk cost fallacy are legion. Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for be/fall prey to

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Cite this Entry

“Be/fall prey to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/be%2Ffall%20prey%20to. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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