poached; poaching; poaches
: to cook in simmering liquid
poached; poaching; poaches
1
: to encroach upon especially for the purpose of taking something
2
: to trespass for the purpose of stealing game
also
: to take game or fish illegally
1
: to trespass on
a field poached too frequently by the amateur—
The Times Literary Supplement (London)
The Times Literary Supplement (London)2
a
: to take (game or fish) by illegal methods
b
: to appropriate (something) as one's own
c
: to attract (someone, such as an employee or customer) away from a competitor
Examples of poach in a Sentence
Verb (1)
poaching fish in a stock flavored with white wine
Recent Examples on the Web
Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2025
Mediation between the Pac-12 and Mountain West continues Nitty gritty: The conferences met for several days, and perhaps the entire week, but did not resolve the poaching penalty and exit fee lawsuits that have more than $100 million at stake.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 24 May 2025
Masai giraffes have become a target of poaching in the last century, the Sacramento Zoo stated.
—Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025
This large-scale effort has been instrumental in reducing poaching and ensuring safe beach conditions for mass nesting events along India’s eastern coastline.
—Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for poach
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
This week in politics The landmark Kansas-Missouri agreement that largely stopped the two states from poaching Kansas City metro businesses from one another risks collapsing in August, after Missouri lawmakers failed to pass an extension.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2025
Mediation between the Pac-12 and Mountain West continues Nitty gritty: The conferences met for several days, and perhaps the entire week, but did not resolve the poaching penalty and exit fee lawsuits that have more than $100 million at stake.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 24 May 2025
Masai giraffes have become a target of poaching in the last century, the Sacramento Zoo stated.
—Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025
This large-scale effort has been instrumental in reducing poaching and ensuring safe beach conditions for mass nesting events along India’s eastern coastline.
—Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for poach
Cite this Entry
“Poach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poach. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
poach
1 of 2 verb
: to cook in simmering liquid
poached eggs
poach
2 of 2 verb
: to hunt or fish unlawfully
poacher
noun
Etymology
Verb
Middle English pochen "to boil an egg without its shell so that the white covers the yolk like a bag," from early French pocher (same meaning), from earlier pochier, literally, "to put into a bag," from poche "bag, pocket"
Verb
from early French pocher "to hunt or fish unlawfully"
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