be/fall prey to

idiom

1
: to be killed by (an animal, disease, etc.)
The deer fell prey to coyotes.
Many people fell prey to disease.
2
: to be harmed or affected in a bad way by (someone or something)
After the accident, she was prey to all kinds of anxieties.
Some of his friends fell prey to drugs.

Examples of be/fall prey to in a Sentence

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Leaders trained in mental discipline are less likely to fall prey to confirmation bias or overconfidence. Gamini Hewawasam, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Any profession requiring judgment and specialized knowledge can fall prey to the pitfalls of cognitive offloading, as a recent study demonstrates. Lars Daniel, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025 Don't fall prey to deceptive marketing language and inflated MSRP prices—our tips only take a few moments. Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 12 June 2025 Thousands of Americans fall prey to medical identity theft scams each year, according to Security.org, with a large number of victims belonging to older age groups. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for be/fall prey to

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Cite this Entry

“Be/fall prey to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/be%2Ffall%20prey%20to. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

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