# poaching

/ˈpoʊtʃɪŋ/ (US) · /pˈəʊtʃɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/poaching
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

the illegal act of catching or killing animals, fish, or birds on someone else's land. It can also mean taking people or ideas from another company in an unfair way.

For teachers: the illegal hunting, capturing, or harvesting of wild animals or plants, often in violation of conservation laws or property rights. In a business context, refers to the practice of enticing employees or clients away from a competitor.

## Examples

- The park rangers are working hard to stop illegal poaching.
- Strict laws were introduced to prevent the poaching of endangered rhinos for their horns.
- While environmentalists focus on the poaching of rare species, corporate leaders are increasingly concerned about the aggressive poaching of top-tier software engineers by rival tech firms.

## Usage notes

- Uncountable when referring to the activity in general; can take a prepositional phrase starting with 'of' to specify the target.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.