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
The truth is, most phones get compromised not by brute force, but by everyday tricks that prey on users' habits and software gaps.
—
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2025
Only 18 months ago, Ronny Chieng was also in Florida to highlight the challenges posed by lionfish, which prey on 80% of fish on the reef, destroying the food chain.
—Peter White, Deadline, 13 June 2025
The women, meanwhile, say the then-producer used the prospect of show business work to prey on them.
—Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
Beyond the companies focused on building physical methods of defense, there is also Abnormal AI (No. 25), a cybersecurity company playing a key role in protecting systems from attacks that prey on human behavioral weaknesses.
—Julia Boorstin, CNBC, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey on/upon
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Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2025
Only 18 months ago, Ronny Chieng was also in Florida to highlight the challenges posed by lionfish, which prey on 80% of fish on the reef, destroying the food chain.
—Peter White, Deadline, 13 June 2025
The women, meanwhile, say the then-producer used the prospect of show business work to prey on them.
—Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
Beyond the companies focused on building physical methods of defense, there is also Abnormal AI (No. 25), a cybersecurity company playing a key role in protecting systems from attacks that prey on human behavioral weaknesses.
—Julia Boorstin, CNBC, 10 June 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 11 Jul. 2025.
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