prey
prey — noun
1. An animal that a predator catches and eats as food.
An animal that a predator catches and eats as food.
The hawk spotted its prey from high above and dove down swiftly.
Mice are common prey for owls that hunt in the countryside at night.
uncountable: common prey — no article needed
Camouflage helps animals stay hidden from predators that see them as prey.
Reema watched a documentary about how cheetahs chase their prey on the plains.
Small fish often become prey for larger fish living near the same coral reef.
- predator
the animal that does the hunting, not the one being hunted
文法句型
prey is not used with a/an or in the plural
用法筆記
'Prey' is an uncountable noun. You cannot say 'a prey' or 'preys'. Instead use 'its prey', 'their prey', or phrases such as 'an animal's prey'.
常見錯誤
2. Someone who gets cheated, exploited, or hurt by another person, typically for di
Someone who gets cheated, exploited, or hurt by another person, typically for dishonest gain.
Elderly people can fall prey to scammers who pretend to be from the bank.
fixed phrase: fall prey to
The tourists became easy prey for local pickpockets near the busy market square.
collocation: easy prey
Otis fell prey to his worries whenever he had to speak in public.
Without strong laws, vulnerable workers can become prey to dishonest employers.
- victim
more general and neutral; works in any harmful situation, not just exploitation
- target
focuses on the idea of being selected for harm; used in both literal and digital contexts
- sitting duck
informal idiom; emphasises helplessness and lack of defence
文法句型
fall prey to + noun phrase
become prey to + noun phrase
be easy prey for + noun phrase
用法筆記
In this sense, 'prey' almost always appears in fixed constructions: 'fall prey to', 'be/become prey to', or 'easy prey for'. It is not used with an indefinite article (❌ a prey). The object of 'to' or 'for' can be a person, group, or abstract force.
常見錯誤
prey — verb
1. (of an animal) To hunt, catch, and eat another animal as food.
(of an animal) To hunt, catch, and eat another animal as food.
On the African savanna, lions typically prey on large animals such as zebras.
pattern: prey on + animal(s)
Owls prey upon mice and small birds that come out during the night.
formal variant: prey upon
The documentary showed how sharks prey on seals near the coast of South Africa.
Sayaka noticed that stray cats in her neighbourhood prey on lizards and large insects.
文法句型
prey on + prey animal
prey upon + prey animal (more formal)
用法筆記
This verb always requires the preposition 'on' or 'upon' — you cannot say 'prey something'. Use 'prey on' in everyday contexts and 'prey upon' in more formal or literary writing.
常見錯誤
2. To take advantage of someone who is weak, vulnerable, or in a difficult situatio
To take advantage of someone who is weak, vulnerable, or in a difficult situation, usually for financial gain or personal benefit.
Dishonest lenders often prey on families desperate for money and with no other option.
pattern: prey on + vulnerable group
The hacker preyed on the company's weak security system to steal customer data.
Lauren felt that the advertisement was preying on people's worries about their health.
Eleni warned her grandfather about con artists who prey on elderly people living alone.
- exploit
more general and neutral; can describe using resources or people unfairly
- take advantage of
common phrasal verb; slightly less strong in moral judgment
- victimise
formal; focuses on making someone a victim
文法句型
prey on + vulnerable person/group
prey on + weakness/fear
用法筆記
The object of 'prey on/upon' in this sense can be either a person or group (prey on tourists) or an abstract quality such as a fear or weakness (prey on someone's loneliness). The verb has a strongly negative moral judgment — it suggests the predator is acting wrongly.