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
• homicide
• killer
• manslayer
• murderer

Adjective

• immoral
• Machiavellian
• unconscionable
• unethical
• unprincipled
• unscrupulous

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

But by planting the movie in the 1980s, Rohrwacher casts a sad glance at her country’s postwar development, depicting a land of eroding infrastructure, bumbling cops, and a cutthroat, capitalistic market for the artifacts Arthur is hunting. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2024

But this is true old-growth longleaf pine, never logged, the ground cover rare cutthroat grass. —Jen Guyton, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

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

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