cutthroat

1 of 2

noun

cut·​throat ˈkət-ˌthrōt 

1

: killer, murderer

2

: a cruel unprincipled person

cutthroat

2 of 2

adjective

1

: murderous, cruel

2

: marked by unprincipled practices : ruthless

cutthroat competition

3

: characterized by each player playing independently rather than having a permanent partner

—used especially of partnership games adapted for three players

cutthroat bridge

Synonyms

Noun

• assassin
• murderer
• killer

Adjective

• ruthless
• immoral
• corrupt
• unscrupulous
• unprincipled

Examples of cutthroat in a Sentence

Noun

while traveling the ancient Silk Road, traders were constant prey to cutthroats and thieves

Adjective

cutthroat business practices intended to drive competitors out of business

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For now, there was just me and my son and the hundreds of brook trout and cutthroat and kokanee and bullhead and bass no doubt swimming around us—weaving through our legs, snickering at our bad luck this weekend. —AFAR Media, 7 Aug. 2025

Now, in the franchise’s first television offering, similar creatures crash-land on Earth from a spaceship and crawl and slither into a future version of our world, dominated by cutthroat corporations such as the one that designed Wendy as the next step in human consciousness. —Daniel D'addario, Variety, 23 July 2025

Adjective

In today’s often cutthroat corporate world, we are constantly hit with training, courses, and strategizing on optimization, time management, and achieving key metrics. —Rachelle Rutherford, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025

Known for his signature visual style and masterful tension-building in crime stories, Kim now turns his lens to the glamorous yet cutthroat world of K-Pop, exploring the fierce desires and ambitions that drive it. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cutthroat

• cutthroat contract
• cutthroat trout

Rhymes for cutthroat

• afloat
• azote
• banknote
• bareboat
• benzoate
• connote
• demote
• denote
• devote
• endnote
• footnote
• greatcoat

Kids Definition

cutthroat

1 of 2 noun

cut·​throat ˈkət-ˌthrōt 

1

: a person likely to cut someone's throat

2

: a cruel person with no scruples

cutthroat

2 of 2 adjective

: ruthless

cutthroat competition