as in preying (on or upon)
to seize and eat (something) as prey
the flycatcher is a bird that—as its name suggests—feeds on winged insects in midair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feeding (on, upon, or off)
Verb
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Patel argued that the federal stalking charges against Mangione don't meet the requirements to justify the more serious charge of murder through use of a firearm because stalking, on its own, isn't a violent crime.—
Michael Ruiz , Maria Paronich,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026 -
Prosecutors are using the stalking charges to make the murder count death penalty-eligible.—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Two of the monkeys had applauded the event with hopping and grunts, but the other three had shot like arrows into the trees, chasing after the peculiar bird that had remained indifferent to their antics.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
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Even in an era when AI can write code, Brin cautioned students against chasing—or abandoning—fields of study based solely on automation fears.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The pack’s unusual hunting behavior caused panic among residents and ranchers in the state’s high rangeland north of Truckee, eventually leading state wildlife regulators to euthanize its three adult wolves and accidentally kill one of four juveniles in October.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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In 2008, Herrington became a Smokies law-enforcement ranger, energized by the thought of hunting poachers of ginseng and game.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Feeding (on, upon, or off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feeding%20%28on%2C%20upon%2C%20or%20off%29. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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