prey on/upon
phrasal verb
preyed on/upon; preying on/upon; preys on/upon
1
: to hunt and kill (something) for food
The wolves prey on small animals.
2
: to hurt, cheat, or steal from (someone)
criminals who prey on lonely elderly people
Examples of prey on/upon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ranchers’ concerns about wolves became the backdrop earlier this month at a heated hearing on whether to increase protections for coyotes, which also can prey on cattle.
—
Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2025
Bartoszek suspects that Florida panthers occasionally prey upon pythons, but there’s no proof yet.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 May 2025
The scams are designed to prey on the urgency people feel, which could result in thousands of dollars being stolen from people who fall for the scams.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Haliburton and Turner would present a scary duo, able to prey on Towns’ inconsistent defensive habits.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey on/upon
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Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2025
Bartoszek suspects that Florida panthers occasionally prey upon pythons, but there’s no proof yet.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 May 2025
The scams are designed to prey on the urgency people feel, which could result in thousands of dollars being stolen from people who fall for the scams.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Haliburton and Turner would present a scary duo, able to prey on Towns’ inconsistent defensive habits.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey on/upon
Cite this Entry
“Prey on/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prey%20on%2Fupon. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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