bottom-feeder
noun
bot·tom-feed·er
ˈbä-təm-ˌfē-dər 
1
: a fish that feeds at the bottom
2
: one that is of the lowest status or rank
3
: an opportunist who seeks quick profit usually at the expense of others or from their misfortune
Synonyms of bottom-feeder
Examples of bottom-feeder in a Sentence
that bottom-feeder would run over his own mother if it would help him get ahead in his career
Recent Examples on the Web
The Pats have won eight straight by treating the league’s bottom-feeders as stepping stones.
—
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 14 Nov. 2025
That game between two NFL bottom-feeders went a long way in determining who would win the race for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
—Austin Mock, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025
The Warriors play three of four games at home this week, facing bottom-feeders Phoenix and Sacramento before going on the road to Denver, then returning to Chase Center for a rematch with Indiana.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2025
Here are some methods for scraping good music from the data wasteland, organized in a hierarchy from bottom-feeder basics to more sophisticated and ultimately, uhh, harebrained strategies.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 31 July 2025
With the July 31 trade deadline only two weeks beyond the Atlanta All-Star Game, contenders and would-be contenders are eying the rosters of bottom-feeders to fill the few holes on their rosters.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
And a lot of them are like the rig shark — smaller bottom-feeders, eaten by larger sharks and humans alike.
—Julie Depenbrock, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025
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Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 14 Nov. 2025
That game between two NFL bottom-feeders went a long way in determining who would win the race for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
—Austin Mock, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025
The Warriors play three of four games at home this week, facing bottom-feeders Phoenix and Sacramento before going on the road to Denver, then returning to Chase Center for a rematch with Indiana.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2025
Here are some methods for scraping good music from the data wasteland, organized in a hierarchy from bottom-feeder basics to more sophisticated and ultimately, uhh, harebrained strategies.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 31 July 2025
With the July 31 trade deadline only two weeks beyond the Atlanta All-Star Game, contenders and would-be contenders are eying the rosters of bottom-feeders to fill the few holes on their rosters.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
And a lot of them are like the rig shark — smaller bottom-feeders, eaten by larger sharks and humans alike.
—Julie Depenbrock, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bottom-feeder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottom-feeder. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
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