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
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
And with the rise of the different shark species, sevengill sharks, there has been a drop in the smaller sharks that sevengills prey upon.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
In addition, Palmyra Atoll has been cleared of invasive species, like rats, that might prey on the birds.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
None of this content, however, acts more like catnip for the algorithm than the ones that prey upon people’s deepest anxieties about their gender performance.
—Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey on/upon
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James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 19 May 2025
And with the rise of the different shark species, sevengill sharks, there has been a drop in the smaller sharks that sevengills prey upon.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
In addition, Palmyra Atoll has been cleared of invasive species, like rats, that might prey on the birds.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
None of this content, however, acts more like catnip for the algorithm than the ones that prey upon people’s deepest anxieties about their gender performance.
—Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 26 Mar. 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 25 May. 2025.
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