What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
poach
Example
I'm going to poach some eggs for breakfast. [poach: verb]
Example
The park ranger caught a group of hunters poaching deer in the protected area. [poaching: gerund or present participle]
pirate
Example
Downloading movies from torrent sites is considered piracy. [piracy: noun]
Example
The pirates boarded the ship and took all the valuable cargo. [pirates: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Pirate is more commonly used than poach in everyday language, especially in the context of online piracy. Poach is less common and mostly used in the context of illegal hunting or recruitment.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between poach and pirate?
Both poach and pirate have negative connotations and are considered informal or slang in some contexts. However, pirate is more versatile and can be used in various formality levels, while poach is more specific and may not be suitable for formal contexts.
