prey on/upon
phrasal verb
preyed on/upon; preying on/upon; preys on/upon
1
: to hunt and kill (something) for food
The wolves prey on small animals.
2
: to hurt, cheat, or steal from (someone)
criminals who prey on lonely elderly people
Examples of prey on/upon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At Shedd, the eels are well-fed and have no need to prey upon the others living in their exhibit.
—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Feral cats prey on them at their most vulnerable moments — sitting on their eggs or caring for their chicks.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024
Anyone living in a big city knows the increasing nervousness as phone snatchers on bikes and e-scooters prey on victims walking sidewalks.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
Burmese pythons generally prey on reptiles, birds and native mammals like foxes, bobcats or raccoons.
—Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prey on/upon 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Feral cats prey on them at their most vulnerable moments — sitting on their eggs or caring for their chicks.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024
Anyone living in a big city knows the increasing nervousness as phone snatchers on bikes and e-scooters prey on victims walking sidewalks.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
Burmese pythons generally prey on reptiles, birds and native mammals like foxes, bobcats or raccoons.
—Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prey on/upon
Dictionary Entries Near prey on/upon
Cite this Entry
“Prey on/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prey%20on%2Fupon. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share