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
Radish flowers are white or pink and highly attractive to every type of bee as well as parasitic wasps that prey on aphids.
—
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025
Introduce predatory insects like parasitic wasps that prey on caterpillars and welcome birds in the garden.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025
With its distinctive form and terrestrial hunting style, the secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is one of the most fascinating birds of prey on the planet.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025
On the other hand, cats domesticated themselves in order to prey on rodents attracted to our scraps.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey on/upon
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Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025
Introduce predatory insects like parasitic wasps that prey on caterpillars and welcome birds in the garden.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025
With its distinctive form and terrestrial hunting style, the secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is one of the most fascinating birds of prey on the planet.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025
On the other hand, cats domesticated themselves in order to prey on rodents attracted to our scraps.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 July 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 31 Aug. 2025.
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