predated; predating; predates
: to prey on (something or someone)
Animals predate other animals in nature, but that is hardly commensurate with a massive worldwide farming industry that breeds species purely for our purpose.—
Jenny Diski
Jenny DiskiAre high-profile men that sexually predate women finally starting to lose immunity?—Alex McKinnon
Alex McKinnonAll cats may predate but those living indoors have little opportunity to do so.—Kevin Stafford
Kevin StaffordThere are many species that predate on pigeons and doves.—Revati
RevatiExamples of predate in a Sentence
Verb (1)
modes of transportation that predate the car
the native people who predated European settlers in America
Recent Examples on the Web
Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2025
That places it after the fall of Rome in 476 A.D., which the Ostia Antica mikveh appears to predate.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Vance's views on the alliance predate his time in office.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
However, researchers made several significant discoveries predating Teos’ Roman occupation.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predate
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.
Verb
Paleontologists are marveling over the unique fossil of a marine species that predated the dinosaurs, according to new research.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2025
That places it after the fall of Rome in 476 A.D., which the Ostia Antica mikveh appears to predate.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Vance's views on the alliance predate his time in office.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
However, researchers made several significant discoveries predating Teos’ Roman occupation.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predate
Cite this Entry
“Predate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predate. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
predate
verb
pre·date
(ˈ)prē-ˈdāt 
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share