The phrase prey on refers to exploiting someone’s vulnerability, weakness, or misfortune for personal gain, often in a harmful or unethical way. It suggests taking advantage of a person’s inability to defend themselves or their emotional or financial state, using their weaknesses to manipulate or control them. This term is often used to describe harmful behaviors, where one party takes advantage of another’s difficult circumstances, such as emotional distress, lack of knowledge, or desperation. Preying on someone is usually associated with deceit, exploitation, and opportunistic actions that cause harm to the individual being targeted.
Example Sentences Using Prey on (exploit vulnerability):
- The scam artist preyed on the elderly, convincing them to invest in fake business opportunities.
- She was worried that people would prey on her insecurities and use them to manipulate her.
- The unscrupulous lender preyed on the desperate borrowers, charging them exorbitant interest rates.
- Many predators prey on vulnerable individuals who are emotionally or financially struggling.
- He preyed on her loneliness, offering companionship while secretly using her for his own benefit.
- The media often preys on people’s fears to sell sensationalized stories and attract viewers.
- The cult leader preyed on the followers’ sense of purpose, manipulating their emotions to control them.
- Con artists prey on people’s trust, tricking them into giving away personal information.
- He had a tendency to prey on people’s lack of knowledge, taking advantage of them in business deals.
- She felt as though people were always trying to prey on her vulnerability, exploiting her for their own advantage.
Synonyms for Prey on (exploit vulnerability):
- Exploit
- Take advantage of
- Manipulate
- Use
- Victimize
- Deceive
- Abuse
- Take advantage
- Siphon
- Milk
Antonyms for Prey on (exploit vulnerability):
- Protect
- Defend
- Guard
- Support
- Aid
- Help
- Care for
- Assist
- Empower
- Encourage
Related Words:
- Exploitation
- Manipulation
- Victimization
- Abuse
- Deception
- Fraud
- Predation
- Opportunism
- Siphoning
- Injustice
Phrasal Verbs:
- Prey on (e.g., The fraudster preyed on people’s lack of financial knowledge to steal from them.)
- Take advantage of (e.g., She took advantage of his kindness to get a free meal.)
- Exploit (e.g., They exploited his fear of failure to manipulate him into making poor decisions.)
- Feed on (e.g., The dishonest broker fed on her naivety, causing her to lose a large sum of money.)
- Run over (e.g., The crook ran over her trust and took everything she had.)
Idiomatic Expressions:
- “Take someone for a ride” (to deceive or exploit someone, often in a dishonest or unfair way)
- “Take the bait” (to fall for a deception or manipulation, often leading to exploitation)
- “Suck the life out of” (to exploit or drain someone emotionally or financially)
- “Rip someone off” (to exploit someone, usually for money, through dishonest or unfair means)
- “Pull the wool over someone’s eyes” (to deceive or trick someone into believing something false, often leading to exploitation)