Meaning & use
predator
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Meanings
nouncountablebiology
An animal that hunts, kills, and eats other animals.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a predator' or 'predators' in the plural.
Patterns
- a natural predator of something
- a predator species
- predators and prey
Wolves are the main predators in this forest, hunting deer and smaller animals.
Without natural predators, the rabbit population grew out of control.
The documentary shows how a predator stalks its prey at night.
nouncountabledisapproving
A person who harms or takes advantage of others, especially the vulnerable.
Grammar: Countable and strongly disapproving; often used with 'sexual' or 'online'.
Patterns
- a sexual predator
- an online predator
- a predator who targets someone
Police warned that online predators often pretend to be teenagers.
The company was accused of acting like a predator, buying up small rivals and closing them down.
She described her former boss as a predator who exploited young staff.
Word forms
| plural | predators |
|---|
Common combinations
- natural predator
- The island has no natural predators, so the birds lost the ability to fly.
- apex predator
- As an apex predator, the tiger sits at the top of the food chain.
- predator and prey
- The balance between predator and prey keeps the ecosystem stable.
- sexual predator
- The law imposes tougher sentences on sexual predators.
- predator attacks
- Farmers built fences to reduce predator attacks on their sheep.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hunter
- Use 'hunter' for any animal or person that hunts; 'predator' specifically stresses killing and eating other animals.
- carnivore
- A carnivore eats meat but may not hunt; a predator actively catches and kills its food.
- exploiter
- For the personal sense, 'exploiter' is more neutral and formal, while 'predator' suggests cruelty or abuse.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: predator or predatory? predator or prayer?
predator vs predatory
This is the adjective, not the noun: say 'a predator', not 'a predatory'.
predator vs prayer
Sounds similar in some accents but means someone who prays; check the spelling of 'predator'.
Practice
Lions are ______ that hunt zebras and other large animals.
Choose one answer.
'Predators' is the plural noun needed after 'are'. 'Prey' is the opposite (the hunted animal), 'predatory' is an adjective, and 'predation' is the abstract noun for the act.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “predator”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.