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
An important next step in understanding the spotted lanternfly will be deducing which local species can prey on the insects, and how this could be utilized to help control their population.
—
Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2024
Diseases like rickets and typhoid that traditionally prey on the malnourished dropped.
—Kaete O’Connell / Made By History, TIME, 22 May 2024
There is a growing body of evidence from other states showing that cougars regularly prey on gray wolves.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 15 May 2024
In the meantime, other users on social media have expressed support for Google's effort to harness AI to stop scams, which often prey on less tech-savvy users.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 15 May 2024
Researchers have previously proposed what’s known as the endurance pursuit hypothesis—the theory that human bodies evolved to chase down prey on foot until the other animal can’t run anymore.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024
Our ancient ancestors relied on hunting and gathering, catching prey on the run and collecting edible plants at every opportunity.
—Stephen Wooding, The Conversation, 1 May 2024
The king of the dinosaurs may have not been the only Cretaceous carnivore to prey on its own kin.
—Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 1 May 2024
There’s also an inherent class critique in Ripley’s ability to prey upon these privileged expatriates, the proverbial shark among minnows.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2024
Diseases like rickets and typhoid that traditionally prey on the malnourished dropped.
—Kaete O’Connell / Made By History, TIME, 22 May 2024
There is a growing body of evidence from other states showing that cougars regularly prey on gray wolves.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 15 May 2024
In the meantime, other users on social media have expressed support for Google's effort to harness AI to stop scams, which often prey on less tech-savvy users.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 15 May 2024
Researchers have previously proposed what’s known as the endurance pursuit hypothesis—the theory that human bodies evolved to chase down prey on foot until the other animal can’t run anymore.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024
Our ancient ancestors relied on hunting and gathering, catching prey on the run and collecting edible plants at every opportunity.
—Stephen Wooding, The Conversation, 1 May 2024
The king of the dinosaurs may have not been the only Cretaceous carnivore to prey on its own kin.
—Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 1 May 2024
There’s also an inherent class critique in Ripley’s ability to prey upon these privileged expatriates, the proverbial shark among minnows.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prey on/upon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 6 Jun. 2024.
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