Prey has a few different meanings. It can refer to an animal that is hunted, a person or thing that becomes a victimsomeone or something harmed, attacked, or affected by another, or the act of hunting and feeding on other creatures. The right synonyma word with the same or nearly the same meaning depends on which sense is intendedmeant or planned for a particular purpose or meaning.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /preɪ/
Easy pronunciation: PRAY (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable; stress falls on the only syllable.
Noun meaning an animal hunted and eaten by another animal.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Prey Meaning
an animal that another animal catches and eats
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal
Example: The rabbit is prey for foxes.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- quarry — Works well for an animal being hunted.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Prey
Meaning 2
someone who is hurt or exploited by another person or force
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a person or thing that is attacked, exploited, or taken advantage of
Example: He became prey to scammers online.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- target — Can work when the sense is being singled out for attack or exploitation, though it is broader and less vivid than prey.
- fair game — Fits the idea of someone seen as easy to attack or exploit, but it is more idiomatic than a direct substitute.
Meaning 3
to hunt animals or live by catching and eating them
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to hunt for or feed on
Example: The hawk preys on small birds.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- predate — A close verb in the hunting sense, but it is less common in everyday use.
- raven — Can mean to feed greedily or live by plundering, but it is not a general substitute for prey.
Meaning 4
to take advantage of someone to make money or benefit
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to profit from in an exploitative manner
Example: Some companies prey on desperate customers.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- feed — Appears in the source data, but it is not a clean modern synonym on its own and is usually used in phrases like feed on.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Prey Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- quarry
a person or thing that is attacked, exploited, or taken advantage of
- target
- fair game
to hunt for or feed on
- predate
- raven
to profit from in an exploitative manner
- feed
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use prey as a synonym for predator; they mean opposite things.
- Do not mix the animal noun sense with the verb sense.
- Quarry can mean prey, but it is not the right choice when you mean an exhausted stone pit.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does prey mean in simple English?
Prey usually means an animal that is hunted and eaten, or a person who is easy to attack or exploit.
What is a good synonym for prey?
For the animal sense, quarry is the closest synonym. For the victim sense, target can work in some contexts.
Is prey a noun or a verb?
It can be both. As a noun, it means an animal hunted for food or a victim. As a verb, it means to hunt or exploit.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
