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
Tom Cat of Tom and Jerry (1940–present) Rarely has a cat been so humiliated by their prey than Tom Cat by Jerry Mouse.
—
Devan Coggan, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2025
It is thought that dire wolves died out as their prey did.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2025
And Cape fur seals, the sharks’ main prey at Seal Island, seemed to respond quickly.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
These hunters were focused on seasonal migratory prey such as reindeer, giant deer, horse and bison.
—Ben Marwick, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey
Devan Coggan, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2025
It is thought that dire wolves died out as their prey did.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2025
And Cape fur seals, the sharks’ main prey at Seal Island, seemed to respond quickly.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
These hunters were focused on seasonal migratory prey such as reindeer, giant deer, horse and bison.
—Ben Marwick, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prey
Noun
-
Abby’s focused on finding Joel and seems unconcerned about her promise to the others that no one other than her quarry of five years will be hurt in her quest for vengeance.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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The quarry was initially dug in the first century B.C. as a source for tuff, a volcanic rock that was pulverized as an ingredient for Roman concrete, the strong, essential material used to construct the city’s most illustrious architectural wonders.—
Tony Perrottet,
Smithsonian Magazine,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The family is seeking separate payouts of at least $25,000 from all four companies for each of the three victims, according to the lawsuit, aiming for at least $300,000 in cumulative damages.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2025
-
All three victims were found dead from gunshot wounds in the car.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Local and regional publications typically have both digital and print formats, which already have an existing audience of nearby readers who are the target demographic for these businesses.—
Emily Reynolds Bergh,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Entering Boston had been a target for Rick Allen, the company’s founder, for quite some time.—
Jason Clinkscales,
Sportico.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Houthi media said there were dozens of civilian casualties.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Apr. 2025
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While the department eventually allowed several of the casualty reports to be published, the rest remain unfinished.—
Mark Olalde,
ProPublica,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prey. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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