be/fall prey to

idiom

: to be killed by (an animal, disease, etc.)

The deer fell prey to coyotes.

Many people fell prey to disease.

: to be harmed or affected in a bad way by (someone or something)

After the accident, she was prey to all kinds of anxieties.

Some of his friends fell prey to drugs.

Examples of be/fall prey to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

This increases our reliance on technical preventative controls and response and recovery capabilities should a user inadvertently fall prey to a social engineering attempt. —

James Blake, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025 Kurt's key takeaways Janet’s experience is a reminder that even the most vigilant among us can fall prey to clever scams designed to exploit fear and urgency. —

Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 30 Dec. 2024 Read more Map shows states where people are most likely to fall prey to fraud. —

Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024 The Sunk Cost Fallacy's Impact On Business Decisions When entrepreneurs fall prey to the sunk cost fallacy, the consequences can be devastating. —

Mark Kane, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for be/fall prey to

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“Be/fall prey to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/be%2Ffall%20prey%20to. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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