prey on (someone)

1. to commit a crime against someone.

Police are looking for street criminals who prey on tourists.

Gangs that prey upon small business owners in the city's Chinatown may be spreading to the suburbs.

2. to have an effect on someone.

Guilt preyed on him for years after the accident.

Usage notes: sometimes said about something that has an effect on people's emotions:

The ads prey on our fear of being alone.

• make or break
• make or break something
• make out a case for
• make out a case for doing something
• make out a case for something
• make peace with
• make peace with someone
• make peace with something
• make presence felt
• make quake in boots
• make quake in their boots
• make ready to
• come down to earth with a bump
• come down to earth with a jolt
• come down to something
• come down with
• come down with something
• come face to face with
• come face to face with someone
• come face to face with something
• come forward
• come full circle
• come hell or high water
• come home
• come home to