Synonyms
Examples of prey in a Sentence
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
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
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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
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
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Phrases Containing prey
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.
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Kids Definition
prey
2 of 2 verb
More from Merriam-Webster on prey
Nglish: Translation of prey for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of prey for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prey
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