prey

noun

ˈprā How to pronounce prey (audio)
Definition of preynext
1
as in quarry
an animal that is hunted or killed rabbits are common prey for owls and hawks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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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

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of prey As the line between predator and prey burns away, the two go on the run through 24 hours of darkness — hunted by forces that may prove more dangerous than the storm overhead. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 Women and feminized men, in Finckenstein’s telling, were the natural prey and proof of Ebel’s corruption. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 This is very similar to how electric eels hunt for prey and navigate their surroundings. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026 The heads contain electroreceptors that allow the sharks to more effectively find prey. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prey
  1. quarry
  2. victim
  3. target
  4. casualty
Noun
  • According to Bucherati, a preliminary investigation found that the man was operating heavy machinery near the base of the rock quarry when several loose rocks fell from the cliff, causing fatal injuries.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The area will start at about 153rd Avenue in the north and end on the south side of the South Lake Stone quarry.
    — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of quarry
Noun
  • Homecoming aside, there’s still the Trawler to worry about, a fact we’re reminded of when another victim turns up on a playground, this time with a pentagram carved into his back and fish corpses shoved into his wounds.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • After Bateman’s September 2022 arrest, his child victims were placed in protective custody.
    — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of victim
Noun
  • Transits are what revealed most of the more than 6,000 exoplanets now known, and Roman’s planners expect the bulge’s target-rich environment to yield on order of 100,000 more.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 29 Aug. 2026
  • As a kinetic interceptor, Seeker appears designed to physically strike its target rather than rely on a conventional air-defense warhead.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of target
Noun
  • The flooding has also resulted in widespread casualties at the border between Nepal and China’s Tibet region.
    — Callum Sutherland, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The true scale of the casualties may take days to become clear, however, with power and communication lines swept away in some areas.
    — Matteo Moschella, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of casualty

Phrases Containing prey

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previsions
prey
preyed (on or upon)
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Cite this Entry

“Prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prey. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on prey

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prey

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