Meaning & use
poachers
Last updated
“poachers” is a form of “poacher”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
People who hunt, catch, or take wild animals illegally, usually to sell them.
Grammar: This is the plural form; the singular is 'poacher'. Use a plural verb: 'Poachers are active at night.'
Patterns
- poachers of something
- catch poachers
- poachers kill something
Rangers patrol the forest at night to stop poachers.
The elephants are in danger because poachers hunt them for their tusks.
Police arrested three poachers near the river yesterday.
nounpluralfigurative
People who take talented players or workers away from another team or company.
Grammar: Used especially in sports and business writing; the singular is 'poacher'. Takes a plural verb.
Patterns
- poachers from another club
- accuse someone of being poachers
Small clubs say the big teams are poachers who buy their best young players.
The company lost two engineers to poachers from a rival firm.
Word forms
| singular | poacher |
|---|
Common combinations
- elephant poachers
- Elephant poachers were caught with ivory in their truck.
- catch poachers
- The new patrols have caught several poachers this year.
- convicted poachers
- Convicted poachers can face heavy fines or prison.
- stop poachers
- Better cameras help rangers stop poachers before they strike.
- a gang of poachers
- A gang of poachers was seen near the national park.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hunter
- A hunter may hunt legally with a license, while a poacher hunts illegally or without permission.
- trapper
- A trapper catches animals in traps, which may be legal; a poacher's key feature is breaking the law.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: poachers or poach? poachers or preachers?
poachers vs poach
'Poach' is the verb (to hunt illegally) and also means to cook an egg in hot water; 'poachers' is only the people.
poachers vs preachers
'Preachers' are people who give religious talks; the two words sound similar but mean very different things.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'poachers' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Poachers' is a plural noun meaning people who hunt illegally, so it takes a plural verb: 'Poachers hunt elephants.' Option A uses a singular verb, option C uses it as a verb, and option D wrongly treats it as a singular animal name.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “poachers”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.