🇬🇧🇪🇸 predatory - depredador : English Lesson

Meaning of "predatory" ("depredador"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

Predatory means acting like a sneaky hunter, but instead of hunting animals, a person or group is trying to grab other people’s money, toys, or things in an unfair way. A predatory person or organization looks for people who are easy to trick, then tries to take what belongs to them, like a bully who is always planning how to get someone else’s stuff instead of earning their own.

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

The predatory older kids didn’t bring snacks to the movie; they just waited to “trade” for ours at a terrible exchange rate.

The predatory seagull stole my sandwich, my chips, and my dignity in one swoop.

I spotted a predatory look on Grandma’s face when she offered to “hold” my Halloween candy bag for me.

I tried to save my last slice of pizza, but my predatory family circled the box like hungry wolves with napkins.

Some animals, like sharks and eagles, are called predatory because they hunt other animals for food.

At dusk the hen saw a predatory fox circling the yard. The fox's predatory eyes fixed on the chicks. A predatory plan showed as it crept to the coop. The hen flapped, and the fox's predatory pause and predatory step turned into fear when farmers shouted. The fox fled; the hen guarded her chicks, relieved.

This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.