be/fall prey to

phrase

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

Part of the Cucurbita family, cucumbers, yellow squash, and zucchini can all fall prey to squash bugs alongside other common garden pests like aphids and cucumber beetles. — Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026

People with bodies that age and change, people who fall in love, get messy, say dumb things, say smart things, fall prey to illness and accidents, shop at Trader Joe’s, end up in court or trip when about to receive an Oscar. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026

Ultimately, many of these books’ characters are portrayed as avatars of resentment and disaffection, men who seem to fall prey to the rigid vision of masculinity dispensed by real-life adherents to the manosphere. — Eric Magnuson, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026

So when and why did humans fall prey to such a pernicious threat? — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Feb. 2026