1
2
as in victim
a person or thing harmed, lost, or destroyed
he fell prey to nagging—but groundless—doubts about his wife's fidelity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in target
a person or thing that is the object of abuse, criticism, or ridicule
that woman has a sharp tongue, and her favored prey is her long-suffering husband
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prey
Advertisement That said, maintaining clear boundaries is crucial to avoid falling prey to manipulation.
—
Tharin Pillay, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
After making a kill, owls consume the prey whole and return to either their nesting site or a tree, where their feathers make perfect camouflage.
—Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
Those with clout in various spheres coalesced into one clubby circle, and fell prey to a groupthink that foresaw riches for everyone, without consequences.
—Evan Hughes, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
Italian scientist Alessandro Volta studied eel physiology to inspire the first battery, and recent work shows eels use doublets, two rapid spikes, to force rapid prey muscle contractions before the knockout blast.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey
Tharin Pillay, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
After making a kill, owls consume the prey whole and return to either their nesting site or a tree, where their feathers make perfect camouflage.
—Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
Those with clout in various spheres coalesced into one clubby circle, and fell prey to a groupthink that foresaw riches for everyone, without consequences.
—Evan Hughes, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
Italian scientist Alessandro Volta studied eel physiology to inspire the first battery, and recent work shows eels use doublets, two rapid spikes, to force rapid prey muscle contractions before the knockout blast.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prey
Noun
-
Drinking beers with everyone in this restaurant at this hotel, and going to a quarry and swimming with Brad and (executive producer) Mark Roybal.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Catch a Show at Lime Kiln Theater A turn of the century limestone quarry and kiln has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind outdoor theater that immerses guests in the striking landscape.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Remoteness draws the witness — or victim — forward and into the circle of the predator’s personality.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
-
And at its climax, the Grabber, the franchise killer played by Ethan Hawke, gracefully stalks his victims on ice skates, ready to lop some heads with an axe.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Once in orbit, the satellite will unfold a mirror that measures 60 by 60 feet (18 by 18 meters) in order to demonstrate its ability to direct sunlight down onto targets on Earth.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
21 Oct. 2025
-
For the Texans, Nico Collins left the game early with a head injury, finishing with only four catches for 27 yards on 10 targets.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But those missiles aren’t nearly as precise as drones and could cause many civilian casualties.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
-
That earthquake led to coastal evacuations and a temporary tsunami alert, but ultimately resulted in no reports of damage or casualties.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prey. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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