1
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
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prey
Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 15 Jan. 2025
As the fires continue to threaten the region, Felecia Wellington Radel reports, Americans looking for ways to help those affected could be prey for cyber criminals trying to take advantage of the crisis.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2025
In the standoff that follows, Two Moons proves invaluable in holding off Virgil’s men, who resort to attempting to smoke out their prey.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
Spitting cobras can shoot venom into their prey’s eyes from up to five meters away, or about 16 feet.
—Brian Otieno, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prey 
Noun
Known for his dedication to concocting some overly detailed and violent traps for his prey, Wile E. Coyote has had more than his share of epic fails over the years.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 15 Jan. 2025
As the fires continue to threaten the region, Felecia Wellington Radel reports, Americans looking for ways to help those affected could be prey for cyber criminals trying to take advantage of the crisis.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2025
In the standoff that follows, Two Moons proves invaluable in holding off Virgil’s men, who resort to attempting to smoke out their prey.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
Spitting cobras can shoot venom into their prey’s eyes from up to five meters away, or about 16 feet.
—Brian Otieno, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prey
Noun
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But labor unions exist for workers in landscaping, farming, and quarry operations as well.—
Richard Bishop,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
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Photo by Rob O’Neal Discover an oasis at a former quarry One of the refuge’s biggest attractions, just a quarter mile down Key Deer Boulevard from the Mannillo and Watson Nature Trails, is the Blue Hole Observation Platform.—
Terry Ward,
AFAR Media,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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One of my personal concerns is the tendency, particularly in Germany, to focus too much in films on the perpetrators, not the victims, like in Downfall or the recent Wannsee Conference adaptation.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Jan. 2025
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Several other fire victims are likely in the same situation.—
Liam Dillon,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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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Moreover, while Ukraine has volunteers and other countries discussing the idea of deploying troops, Russia only has its own troops, as well as North Korean soldiers, who have been experiencing high numbers of casualties.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
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 30 Jan. 2025.
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