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
Females use their antennae and palps to locate prey, according to Pfizer, and can detect carbon dioxide trails from up to 120 feet away, USA Today reported.
—
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
There’s this idea that the best hunters respect their prey by using everything.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
Drills cast students as prey being hunted.
—James Densley, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2026
Yet two more pitfalls my poor little shrub fell prey to.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prey
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
There’s this idea that the best hunters respect their prey by using everything.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
Drills cast students as prey being hunted.
—James Densley, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2026
Yet two more pitfalls my poor little shrub fell prey to.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prey
Noun
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The southern site also would not require the creation of a new quarry for dam materials, minimizing environmental impacts.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
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The centerpiece of all that is the giant quarry that Coore and Crenshaw opted to leave as is.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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An Urban Pathways spokeswoman expressed condolences to the victims and their families in a statement.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
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Officials said that after Cooper’s arrest, the first victim, a runaway, was crying hysterically and denied any involvement in prostitution.—
Samantha Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
Noun
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While half of the analysts polled by LSEG have a buy or strong buy rating, the average price target implies a pullback of more than 12% over the next year.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
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Showing emotion could make someone a target.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Noun
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But beyond its account of a family in flight, from both the authorities and its own murkier truths, Dangerous, Dirty, Violent and Young interrogates the radicalism of the 1960s and 70s, its unlikely alliances, its political legacies, and its many, many casualties along the way.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
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Israel’s military said one of its soldiers was killed in battle there Thursday, raising the troop casualties to 17 since the Iran war started.—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prey. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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