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
Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Jan. 2026
After the Washington Commanders’ breakout 2024 season, Dan Quinn had to handle the possibility of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury getting poached.
—Tashan Reed, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Chelsea aren’t kings of the jungle but their wealth and profile give them the clout to poach from most clubs.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
In a ruling entered Tuesday, a New York judge spiked the case and issued a stern warning after Hylton ghosted a deadline to defend her serious allegations that Blige had attempted to poach a musician from her management roster.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poach
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Verb
In an era when AI researchers are being poached in 10-figure deals that make NBA free agent negotiations look like child’s play, Coogan and Hays cover the AI talent wars like ESPN analysts.
—Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Jan. 2026
After the Washington Commanders’ breakout 2024 season, Dan Quinn had to handle the possibility of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury getting poached.
—Tashan Reed, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Chelsea aren’t kings of the jungle but their wealth and profile give them the clout to poach from most clubs.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
In a ruling entered Tuesday, a New York judge spiked the case and issued a stern warning after Hylton ghosted a deadline to defend her serious allegations that Blige had attempted to poach a musician from her management roster.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poach
Cite this Entry
“Poach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poach. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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"
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