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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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of prey
Read more Map shows states where people are most likely to fall prey to fraud.
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Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
Though wildlife vets managed to save his leg that time, his luck ran out a year later when he was caught in a steel trap meant for larger prey.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
This uptick provided easily accessible prey for the squirrels.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Dec. 2024
Contrary to the assumption that these migrations are driven by hunger, researchers believe that an abundance of prey, such as lemmings and voles, during the summer breeding season leads to a population boom.
—Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prey 
Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
Though wildlife vets managed to save his leg that time, his luck ran out a year later when he was caught in a steel trap meant for larger prey.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
This uptick provided easily accessible prey for the squirrels.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Dec. 2024
Contrary to the assumption that these migrations are driven by hunger, researchers believe that an abundance of prey, such as lemmings and voles, during the summer breeding season leads to a population boom.
—Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prey
Noun
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Nearly 30 years ago, 40 sets of footprints discovered in a limestone quarry in the area were considered one of the world's most scientifically important dinosaur track sites.Fox News, Fox News, 9 Jan. 2025
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The tracks were discovered in a quarry in Oxfordshire — about 60 miles northwest of London — by quarry employee Gary Johnson, according to BBC News.Toria Sheffield, People.com, 4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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While some federal emergency relief funds will come to victims quickly, additional money to rebuild infrastructure, homes and businesses is likely to flow much more slowly.David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 15 Jan. 2025
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Sally Smith, a spokesperson for the police department, said Wednesday morning that she's heard the victim is in stable condition at the moment.Remington Miller, arkansasonline.com, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In 2023, the Navy and Air Force fell short of their recruitment targets, while the Marine Corps and the Space Force—by far the smallest branch—continued to meet their enlistment goals.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
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While the United States tries to spy on one of the hardest targets, Burns has also tried to reopen a dialogue with Beijing, including via his counterpart, Chen Yixin, the security minister.Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Ukrainians are taking casualties, too of course—and struggling to keep their front-line brigades fully manned.David Axe, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
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The first question was whether Israel was willing to inflict collateral civilian casualties, and absorb military casualties, at a level that experts thought would be necessary to accomplish its goal.Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near prey
Cite this Entry
“Prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prey. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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