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'Pray' means to speak to a god or beg earnestly; 'prey' is an animal hunted for food or a victim.
Side-by-side comparison
"Pray" is the verb to speak to God or a higher power in words or thought. Also to beg earnestly. "Pray for peace" = ask God for peace.
Many people pray before meals as a moment of gratitude.
She prayed for a quick recovery after the surgery.
Let's pray for good weather this weekend.
"Prey" as a noun is the animal hunted by a predator for food. As a verb, to take advantage of a vulnerable person. "Prey on the weak" = exploit vulnerable people.
Owls hunt their prey silently at night.
Elderly people are often the prey of online scammers.
Wolves prey on deer and smaller animals.
Common mistake
- •"The eagle's pray escaped" when meaning the hunted animal is wrong (correct: prey).
- •And "scammers pray on seniors" when meaning exploit is wrong (correct: prey on).
Trick to remember it
- •"Pray" ends in AY like "say", when you pray, you are saying something to a higher power.
- •"Prey" ends in EY like "they", the predator goes after them, its prey.
Quick rule
- •Is it to speak to a higher power or beg? "Pray".
- •Is it a hunted animal or a victim being exploited? "Prey".
Did you know?
"Bird of prey" is a category that includes eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, and other birds that hunt vertebrates. In Latin, these birds are called "rapaces", from the verb "rapere" (to seize, to snatch), the same root as "raptor" (the technical term for birds of prey, popularized by Jurassic Park for Velociraptor dinosaurs). The dinosaur "raptors" and modern "birds of prey" are not evolutionarily close, but share the strategy of hunting live prey with talons. And yes: the theropod dinosaurs that evolved into modern birds are literally the ancestors of today's hawks and eagles.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The eagle spotted its _____ below and dived down to catch it.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
She _____ ed for good weather on the day of the outdoor wedding.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy