soldier of fortune
noun phrase
: one who follows a military career wherever there is promise of profit, adventure, or pleasure
Examples of soldier of fortune in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The crown of Castile supported expeditions of these soldiers of fortune with its weapons, flag, and political clout, but not its coffers.
—
Jordana Rosenfeld,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
17 June 2026
But reliance on soldiers of fortune undermined the Kremlin’s message of national unity and allowed an overwhelming majority of Russians to stay uninvolved.
—
Nina Khrushcheva,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
My favorite example of this is Alex Cox’s 1987 masterpiece, Walker, in which Ed Harris plays the American adventurer and soldier of fortune who invaded Nicaragua in the mid-19th century.
—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
25 Nov. 2024
This installment of the Legends & Lattes series follows a convalescent soldier of fortune who finds refuge in a small-town bookstore.
—
Becky Meloan,
Washington Post,
13 Dec. 2023
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Jordana Rosenfeld,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
17 June 2026
But reliance on soldiers of fortune undermined the Kremlin’s message of national unity and allowed an overwhelming majority of Russians to stay uninvolved.
—
Nina Khrushcheva,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
My favorite example of this is Alex Cox’s 1987 masterpiece, Walker, in which Ed Harris plays the American adventurer and soldier of fortune who invaded Nicaragua in the mid-19th century.
—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
25 Nov. 2024
This installment of the Legends & Lattes series follows a convalescent soldier of fortune who finds refuge in a small-town bookstore.
—
Becky Meloan,
Washington Post,
13 Dec. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Soldier of fortune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soldier%20of%20fortune. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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