prey

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   An animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal.

   Grammar: Uncountable: prey, not preys.

   Patterns

   • prey for someone
   • hunt prey
   • catch prey

   The lion stalked its prey through the tall grass.

   Owls hunt their prey at night.

   Small rodents are common prey for hawks.

2. 2nouncountablefigurative

   A person who is easily harmed or taken advantage of.

   Grammar: Often in the phrase 'easy prey'.

   Patterns

   • prey to someone
   • easy prey

   Tourists can be easy prey for pickpockets.

   The elderly are often prey to telephone scammers.

3. 3verbintransitive

   To hunt and kill another animal for food.

   Grammar: Often used with 'on': prey on something.

   Patterns

   • prey on something

   Foxes prey on rabbits and other small mammals.

   Some birds prey on insects.

4. 4verbintransitivefigurative

   To take advantage of someone who is weaker or vulnerable.

   Grammar: Used with 'on': prey on someone.

   Patterns

   • prey on someone

   Scammers prey on people who are lonely.

   Bullies often prey on those who seem different.

Word forms

Common combinations

easy prey

Without a password, your account is easy prey for hackers.

prey on someone's mind

The worry preyed on his mind all week.

bird of prey

Eagles are birds of prey.

fall prey to

Many people fall prey to online fraud.

Synonyms and how they differ

quarry

Quarry is a formal or literary word for an animal being hunted; prey is the everyday term.

victim

Victim is used for people who suffer harm, while prey can be an animal or a person.

Opposites

Word family

predator noun

An animal that hunts and eats other animals.

predatory adjective

Behaving like a predator; exploiting others.

Commonly confused: prey or pray?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “prey”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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