1
2
as in victim
a person or thing harmed, lost, or destroyed
he fell prey to nagging—but groundless—doubts about his wife's fidelity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in target
a person or thing that is the object of abuse, criticism, or ridicule
that woman has a sharp tongue, and her favored prey is her long-suffering husband
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prey
The twins have already been observed wrestling with each other — an imitation of predator/prey behavior — and playing with their mother’s tail.
—
Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
The crew is being hunted by an organism that can inhabit anyone nearby and mimic its prey.
—Echo Apsey, Space.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The playful creatures are prey to foxes, jaguars, and even at times humans, but tend to eat insects, plants, roots and smaller vertebrates, the zoo said.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Parvati Shallow has once again devoured her prey.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey
Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
The crew is being hunted by an organism that can inhabit anyone nearby and mimic its prey.
—Echo Apsey, Space.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The playful creatures are prey to foxes, jaguars, and even at times humans, but tend to eat insects, plants, roots and smaller vertebrates, the zoo said.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Parvati Shallow has once again devoured her prey.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prey
Noun
-
And the colors of the stone sometimes looked discordant—the quarries at Montjuïc had closed in 1957.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Then in the 1960s, Lake Burtnieks’s northern shore was used as a gravel quarry.—
Sarah Durn,
Popular Science,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The most successful so far comes from Tampa, where a circuit court judge in August reaffirmed a statewide injunction pausing DOAH hearings after a Hurricane Milton victim argued the company was violating his rights.—
Mario Ariza,
ProPublica,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The motion is still pending, and families of the crash victims urged the court to reject it.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Doing Your College Research Start by researching actual employment outcomes for specific programs at target schools.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Sagapolutele’s top targets have been UNLV senior transfer wide receiver Jacob De Jesus (17 catches, 141 yards, TD), sophomore tight end Mason Mini (13-99, 2 TDs) and senior wide receiver Trond Grizzell (11-175, TD).—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Russia is firing double the number of missile strikes from years before, with mounting civilian casualties.—
Oleksandra Matviichuk,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
It was not immediately known how many people were on board the aircraft or whether any casualties occurred.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prey. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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