feed on
Third Person
feeds on
Present Participle
feeding on
Past Tense
fed on
Past Participle
fed on
1
to regularly eat a specific type of food to stay alive and grow
transitive
- The caterpillars feed on the leaves of the plant to fuel their metamorphosis into butterflies.
- Microorganisms in the soil feed on organic matter, contributing to nutrient cycling.
- In the ocean, small fish feed on plankton as a primary source of nutrition.
- Babies feed on milk for their essential nutrients during the early stages of development.
- Certain plants are known to feed on insects as a supplementary source of nutrients.
Synonyms:
2
to increase or gain power from a particular source
transitive
- Hate groups feed on ignorance.
- Addiction feeds on isolation.
- The rise in violent crime feeds on the desperation and hopelessness found in impoverished communities.
- Cyberbullying feeds on the anonymity provided by the internet, allowing perpetrators to harass and intimidate others without immediate consequences.
- Economic inequality feeds on systemic corruption and lack of social mobility, perpetuating a cycle where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.