prey on/upon

phrasal verb

preyed on/upon; preying on/upon; preys on/upon

: to hunt and kill (something) for food

The wolves prey on small animals.

: 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 Life This ancient crocodile walked on two legs ‘like humans’ Batrachopus grandis, an ancient crocodylomorph, may have chased down land prey on its own two feet. —

Big Think, 24 June 2024 One performance in the show features music with lyrics written by Süßmilch that are sung from the point of view of cannibals who prey on children while also seeking to protect these kids within their stomachs. —

Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 20 June 2024 Crankbaits: Usually trolled via a flatline or lead-core or run off to one side of the boat with a side planer, crankbaits mimic the small baitfish that walleyes prey on. —

M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 20 June 2024 And, yet, 30 Days of Night must be included in this list because the vampires that violently attack the town prey on Barrow’s isolation and its perpetual darkness. —

James Grebey, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for prey on/upon

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.