prey

1 of 2

noun

plural prey also preys
1
a
: an animal taken by a predator as food
b
: one that is helpless or unable to resist attack : victim
was prey to his own appetites
2
: the act or habit of preying
3
archaic : spoil, booty

prey

2 of 2

verb

preyed; preying

intransitive verb

1
a
: to seize and devour prey
b
: to commit violence or robbery or fraud
2
: to have an injurious, destructive, or wasting effect
worry preyed upon his mind
3
: to make raids for the sake of booty
preyer noun

Examples of prey in a Sentence

Noun The lion stalked its prey. The bird circled above looking for prey. The seals are easy prey for sharks. Too often elderly people are easy prey for swindlers and other criminals.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Komodo dragons may have eaten the remains of an animal that humans hunted, and humans may have used the skin and bones from the Komodo dragon's prey for tools. Donna Sarkar, Discover Magazine, 17 Nov. 2023 Crocodiles are carnivores and stealthily ambush their prey. Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 15 Nov. 2023 However, many struggling entrepreneurs often fall prey to common mindset mistakes that can hinder their progress. Dr. Rick Ruperto, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 Navigating cognitive biases in the flexible work paradigm The debate over workplace flexibility often falls prey to a variety of cognitive biases, which can cloud decision-making and leadership effectiveness. Gleb Tsipursky, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2023 Enlarge / Fish-eating kingfishers execute plunging dives into the water to capture prey, yet never seem to get concussed. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Oct. 2023 While young turtles largely forage for food, hunting adults tend to wait, with their mouths wide open, for their prey to come to them. Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023 Sperm whales send out clicks and creaks, which bounce off of prey, allowing the whales to detect their dinner at a distance. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2023 New research shows that some cancer cells can fire a long nanotube projection into the T cell that, like a vampire’s fang, sucks energy-creating mitochondria from the immune cell, turning the predator into prey. Angus Chen, STAT, 13 Oct. 2023
Verb
But sometimes a virus will enter a cell to find a particularly nasty shock: a viral tenant waiting specifically to prey on the incoming virus. The Conversation, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2023 Chaplin was not a libertine in the sense of a man who sleeps around or who preys on women. Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023 But wolves prey on fawns at shockingly higher rates in these areas compared to elsewhere, the study shows. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 1 Nov. 2023 The Ethiopian wolves refrain from preying on young geladas, while the geladas allow Ethiopian wolves to move freely within their habitat and among their group, says one study from 2015. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023 People who were part of a Maricopa County drug diversion program that was accused of preying upon people who couldn't afford the steep cost of treatment have won the right to seek compensation under a new settlement agreement. Jimmy Jenkins, The Arizona Republic, 3 Sep. 2023 Like house cats, wildcats prey on a variety of small animals, such as rabbits, rodents and birds. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023 Scams often prey on emotions, like being excited about winning something or terrified about losing money or having sensitive photos exposed. Heather Kelly, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023 Long-standing malware scams often prey on unsuspecting internet users, and the old trick of prompting website visitors to update their browsers to view content has resurfaced. Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 19 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prey.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English preie, from Anglo-French, from Latin praeda; akin to Latin prehendere to grasp, seize — more at get

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French preier, from Latin praedari, from praeda

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of prey was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near prey

Cite this Entry

“Prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prey. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

prey

1 of 2 noun
1
: an animal hunted or killed by another animal for food
2
: a person who is helpless or unable to escape attack : victim
3
: the act or habit of seizing and pouncing upon

prey

2 of 2 verb
preyed; preying
1
a
: to seize and eat something as prey
b
: to do violent or dishonest acts
robbers who preyed on travelers
2
: to have a harmful effect
fears that prey on the mind

More from Merriam-Webster on prey

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!