Pray vs. Prey: What's the Difference?

Pray and Prey Definitions
Pray
To utter or address a prayer or prayers to a deity or an object of worship, often as an entreaty
People praying in the pews of the church.
People praying for divine guidance.
People praying for their loved ones.
Prey
An animal hunted or caught by another for food
The leopard carried its prey into a tree.
Pray
To use prayer to request (that something may happen)
The congregation prayed that the drought would end soon. The child prayed to be more considerate of others.
Prey
The collection of animals typically hunted and eaten by a predator
The acoustic location of prey by barn owls.
Pray
To say (a prayer or group of prayers)
Pray the rosary.
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Prey
An object or victim of attack
Ships that became the prey of pirates.
Pray
To make a devout or earnest request for
I pray your forgiveness.
Prey
One that is subjected to or afflicted with something
Was prey to depression.
Pray
To utter or say a prayer or prayers to; address by prayer
"I pray Heaven that I never may forget the dear girl" (Charles Dickens).
Prey
One that is deceived or taken advantage of by another
Easy prey for swindlers.
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Pray
(Archaic) To ask (someone) imploringly for something; beseech. Used chiefly in the phrase I pray you to introduce a polite or urgent request or question
I pray you be careful.
Prey
The act or practice of preying.
Pray
Used to make a polite or urgent request or question
Pray don't apologize.
Prey
Plunder; booty.
Pray
(religion) To direct words, thoughts, or one's attention to God or any higher being, for the sake of adoration, thanks, petition for help, etc.
Muslims pray in the direction of Mecca.
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Prey
To hunt, catch, or eat as prey
Owls prey on mice.
Pray
To humbly beg a person for aid or their time.
Prey
To victimize or make a profit at someone else's expense
Swindlers who prey upon the weak.
Pray
(obsolete) To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.
Prey
To plunder or pillage
Vikings preying on coastal settlements.
Pray
To wish or hope strongly for a particular outcome.
She is praying that the Red Sox will win tonight.
Prey
To exert a baneful or injurious effect
Remorse preyed on his mind.
Pray
(obsolete) To implore, to entreat, to request.
Prey
(archaic) Anything, such as goods, etc., taken or got by violence; something taken by force from an enemy in war
Pray
Please; used to make a polite request
Pray silence for…
Prey
That which is or may be seized by animals or birds to be devoured
Pray
Alternative form of pray tell
Prey
A person or thing given up as a victim.
Pray
See Pry.
Prey
A living thing that is eaten by another living thing.
The rabbit was eaten by the coyote, so the rabbit is the coyote's prey.
Pray
To make request with earnestness or zeal, as for something desired; to make entreaty or supplication; to offer prayer to a deity or divine being as a religious act; specifically, to address the Supreme Being with adoration, confession, supplication, and thanksgiving.
And to his goddess pitously he preyde.
When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
I pray, sir. why am I beaten?
Prey
(archaic) The act of devouring other creatures; ravage.
Pray
To address earnest request to; to supplicate; to entreat; to implore; to beseech.
And as this earl was preyed, so did he.
We pray you . . . by ye reconciled to God.
Prey
The victim of a disease.
Pray
To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.
I know not how to pray your patience.
Prey
(intransitive) To act as a predator.
Pray
To effect or accomplish by praying; as, to pray a soul out of purgatory.
Prey
Anything, as goods, etc., taken or got by violence; anything taken by force from an enemy in war; spoil; booty; plunder.
And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest.
Pray
Address God; say a prayer
Prey
That which is or may be seized by animals or birds to be devoured; hence, a person given up as a victim.
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey.
Already sees herself the monster's prey.
Pray
Call upon in supplication; entreat;
I beg you to stop!
Prey
The act of devouring other creatures; ravage.
Hog in sloth, fox in stealth, . . . lion in prey.
Prey
To take booty; to gather spoil; to ravage; to take food by violence.
More pity that the eagle should be mewed,While kites and buzzards prey at liberty.
Prey
A person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence;
He fell prey to muggers
Everyone was fair game
The target of a manhunt
Prey
Animal hunted or caught for food
Prey
Profit from in an exploitatory manner;
He feeds on her insecurity
Prey
Prey on or hunt for;
These mammals predate certain eggs