Preyed Meaning in English

word · lemma: prey

US

ˈpɹeɪd

PRAYD

UK

pɹˈeɪd

PRAYD

Definition

To have hunted, killed, or eaten another animal for food, or to have taken advantage of someone weaker.

Usage & Nuances

Usually used in passive structures ('was preyed upon'). In animals, it’s about hunting for food. In people, 'preyed on/upon' means to exploit or harm the vulnerable. Very formal when describing exploitation; common in news, literature.

• Spanish: depredar - aprovecharse (de alguien)
• Portuguese (BR): caçar - explorar (alguém)
• Portuguese (PT): caçar - explorar (alguém)
• Chinese (Simplified): 捕食 - 欺骗（某人）
• Chinese (Traditional): 捕食 - 欺騙（某人）
• Hindi: शिकार करना - शोषण करना
• Arabic: افترس - استغل
• Bengali: শিকার করেছিল - শোষণ করেছিল
• Russian: охотился - воспользовался (человеком)
• Japanese: 捕食した - 付け込んだ
• Vietnamese: săn mồi - lợi dụng
• Korean: 먹잇감으로 삼았다 - 착취했다
• Turkish: avladı - istismar etti
• Urdu: شکار کیا - استحصال کیا
• Indonesian: memburu - memanfaatkan

Example Sentences

The lion preyed on the zebra.

basic

Wolves once preyed on deer in this forest.

basic

The fraudster preyed on elderly people.

basic

Scammers have preyed on thousands of victims online.

natural

His guilt grew as he realized he had preyed on his friends' trust.

natural

For years, corrupt officials preyed on the local businesses.

natural