predated; predating; predates
: to prey on (something or someone)
Animals predate other animals in nature, but that is hardly commensurate with a massive worldwide farming industry that breeds species purely for our purpose.—
Jenny Diski
Jenny DiskiAre high-profile men that sexually predate women finally starting to lose immunity?—Alex McKinnon
Alex McKinnonAll cats may predate but those living indoors have little opportunity to do so.—Kevin Stafford
Kevin StaffordThere are many species that predate on pigeons and doves.—Revati
RevatiSynonyms
Examples of predate in a Sentence
Verb (1)
modes of transportation that predate the car
the native people who predated European settlers in America
Recent Examples on the Web
Brieanna J. Frank, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
The creature—which long predates the first true mammals, as well as the dinosaurs—is described based on a fossil specimen found on the Spanish island of Mallorca, located in the Mediterranean Sea.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
It’s long been a hit with locals, its lush design predating the emergence of ecofriendly architecture in the region.
—Laura Studarus, WIRED, 16 Dec. 2024
It was allowed because their application predated the county rules change.
—Karri Peifer, Axios, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for predate 
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Verb
It was uploaded to both TikTok and YouTube in November 2022, predating the U.S. sightings by two years.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
The creature—which long predates the first true mammals, as well as the dinosaurs—is described based on a fossil specimen found on the Spanish island of Mallorca, located in the Mediterranean Sea.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
It’s long been a hit with locals, its lush design predating the emergence of ecofriendly architecture in the region.
—Laura Studarus, WIRED, 16 Dec. 2024
It was allowed because their application predated the county rules change.
—Karri Peifer, Axios, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for predate
Dictionary Entries Near predate
Cite this Entry
“Predate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predate. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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predate
verb
pre·date
(ˈ)prē-ˈdāt 
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