prey

1 of 2

noun

plural prey also preys
1
a
: an animal taken by a predator as food
b
: one that is helpless or unable to resist attack : victim
was prey to his own appetites
2
: the act or habit of preying
3
archaic : spoil, booty

prey

2 of 2

verb

preyed; preying

intransitive verb

1
a
: to seize and devour prey
b
: to commit violence or robbery or fraud
2
: to have an injurious, destructive, or wasting effect
worry preyed upon his mind
3
: to make raids for the sake of booty
preyer noun

Examples of prey in a Sentence

Noun The lion stalked its prey. The bird circled above looking for prey. The seals are easy prey for sharks. Too often elderly people are easy prey for swindlers and other criminals.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Recommended Compassion Biden’s food drops in Gaza underscore difficulties with Israel No police, no order With neither Hamas police nor Israeli soldiers providing security, the Gaza Strip has fallen prey to generalized and often violent disorder. Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024 To avoid being part of these growing statistics, keep your guard up, because even the most financially savvy can fall prey to tactics employed by these criminals. Jill Schlesinger, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Everett enjoys catching fish but is equally enlivened by the process of mimicking their prey. Maya Binyam, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 That a film so otherwise artistically accomplished, so meticulously detailed in its rejection of unfounded media narratives, can so quickly and easily fall prey to them in the heat of a visceral emotional response, is nothing if not illuminating about how none of us are immune. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 The geneticists also want to engineer a mammoth with no tusks, so the animals don’t fall prey to poachers. Katie Hunt, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 In a behind-the-scenes video, the teeth are labelled ‘baleen’, as in baleen whales, real-life marine mammals that have tough but flexible keratin hairs inside their mouths that filter their tiny fishy prey from the inflow of seawater. Popular Science, 6 Mar. 2024 Trim and clean shrubbery near ground level to reduce hiding cover for coyotes or their prey. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Mar. 2024 Vegetation: Tall grass, dense shrubs and other vegetation create cover for rattlesnakes and their prey. The Arizona Republic, 22 Feb. 2024
Verb
Much like other radical parties across Europe, Ventura’s Chega has also preyed on issues of gender equality, security, and crime. Vasco Cotovio, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 The film stays in the perspective of an unstoppable killer/monster named Johnny who frequently uses very sharp objects to prey on campers, rangers, hikers and a crotchety old cuss — all in acts of vengeance for the evil that has been perpetrated on him. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2024 Feral hogs prey on the birds and their eggs and damage the birds’ habitat by rooting up and consuming native plants and spreading invasive plant seeds. Discover Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023 Other studies have found that orcas have preyed on other coastal predators like sevengill sharks and have feasted on only their livers in South Africa. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 Hawks and owls prey on rodents bounding across grassy slopes. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Phishing scams prey on that sense of urgency, notes Lisa Plaggemier, executive director at the nonprofit National Cybersecurity Alliance. Nerdwallet, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 Stone’s organization works with ranchers in the Wood River Valley to use non-lethal deterrents that prevent wolves from preying on livestock. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 So when the police fail to stop a serial killer who’s preying on actresses, the sisters and their boarder Smalls join forces to investigate. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024

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

Etymology

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

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of prey was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near prey

Cite this Entry

“Prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prey. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

prey

1 of 2 noun
1
: an animal hunted or killed by another animal for food
2
: a person who is helpless or unable to escape attack : victim
3
: the act or habit of seizing and pouncing upon

prey

2 of 2 verb
preyed; preying
1
a
: to seize and eat something as prey
b
: to do violent or dishonest acts
robbers who preyed on travelers
2
: to have a harmful effect
fears that prey on the mind

More from Merriam-Webster on prey

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