predation

noun

pre·​da·​tion pri-ˈdā-shən 

1

: the killing by one living organism of another for food

These small fish are most vulnerable to predation just after sunset, when larger fish, such as barracuda and jacks, chase them into the shallow water near shore to feed on them.

—Anne Brooke

… elephant seals historically avoided the mainland to protect the newborns from predation by grizzly bears.

—Carolyn Longstreth

In other words, just as vascular plants make tannins, phenols, sterols and alkaloids to defend against predation, it is likely that cyanobacteria synthesize poisons to ward off attack by fellow planktonic species.

—Wayne Carmichael

: a mode of life in which food is primarily obtained by the killing and consuming of animals

Predation is important to an understanding of ancient ecology because the food chain helps determine the structure of biological communities.

—Derek Briggs and Harry Whittington

Weeks or months later, depending on ambient temperatures, a beetle returns to the water to resume a life of predation.

—Natural History

2

: the act of injuring, exploiting, or plundering others for personal gain

A burglary occurs every 10 seconds, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Such predation keeps Americans uneasy …

—Consumer Reports

To the traditionalists, predation is any price or product strategy intended to impose costs on a competitor.

—Insight

Examples of predation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Studies in the Owyhees have indicated that the leading cause of death for mule deer and California bighorn sheep is mountain lion predation. —Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025

According to a study recently published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation, rat predation may cause enough damage to significantly threaten local bat populations. —Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 30 Oct. 2025

In nine episodes, Bill Skarsgard returns as the murderous clown, and a new group of young people must survive his predations. —PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

The series jumps back and forth between the ensuing investigation and snapshots of Gacy’s victims to illustrate how police bias allowed his predation to continue and later, how the media sensationalized his crimes. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English predacion, from Latin praedation-, praedatio, from praedari

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing predation

• predation pressure

Rhymes for predation

• ablation
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation
• collation

Kids Definition

predation

noun

pre·​da·​tion pri-ˈdā-shən 

: a way of life in which food is obtained mostly by killing and eating animals