poach

verb (1)

\ˈpōch

poached; poaching; poaches

Definition of poach

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

: to cook in simmering liquid

poach

verb (2)

poached; poaching; poaches

Definition of poach (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

1 : to trespass on a field poached too frequently by the amateur — The Times Literary Supplement (London)

2a : 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

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Six lions were tranquilized so police could search the area the next day, alongside the reserve’s anti-poaching unit and other specialists. — Jewel Wicker, Teen Vogue, "Lions Kill Suspected Rhino Poachers in South Africa," 6 July 2018 Anti-poaching efforts have led many reserves to create monitoring teams. — Deanna Paul, Washington Post, "Suspected poachers were looking for rhinos. They found hungry lions instead, game reserve owner says.," 5 July 2018 But even simple word of mouth has had far-reaching effects in deterring poaching efforts. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "It’s Pooches vs. Poachers in the Fight Against Wildlife Smugglers," 22 June 2018 After accusing Amazon of conducting a campaign to poach its third-party sellers, eBay has filed a lawsuit in California to ban the competitor from misusing its platform, per The Wall Street Journal. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "eBay is suing Amazon over allegedly poaching its third-party sellers," 18 Oct. 2018 The spike coincided with the disarming of anti-poaching units, the group said. — Christopher Torchia, Fox News, "Botswana hits back at critics on anti-poaching policy," 9 Sep. 2018 An ax and three pairs of shoes and gloves were found later when police and an anti-poaching unit arrived. — NBC News, "Rhino poachers eaten by lions on South African game reserve," 6 July 2018 She has also been involved with fund-raising for anti-poaching efforts and the translocation of rhinos from South Africa to Botswana. — New York Times, "Gabriella Gentil, Kyle Hickson," 6 May 2018 African Parks assumes day-to-day management of countries' wildlife areas, seeking more efficiency and accountability in the campaign to protect flora and fauna from poaching and habitat depletion. — Christopher Torchia, Fox News, "Backed by Prince Harry, conservation group expands in Africa," 7 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'poach.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.