buzzard

noun buz·zard \ ˈbə-zərd \

|Updated on: 25 May 2018

Examples: buzzard in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of buzzard

1 chiefly British : buteo

2 : any of various usually large birds of prey (such as the turkey vulture)

3 : a contemptible or rapacious person

See buzzard defined for English-language learners

See buzzard defined for kids

Examples of buzzard in a Sentence

the real estate buzzards were really putting pressure on the one homeowner who was still refusing to sell
that crotchety old man can be a real buzzard when he's in a bad mood—which is usually the case

Recent Examples of buzzard from the Web

Just hours old, the little guy was exposed to the elements and just a few hours away from the buzzards circling.

— angela helm, The Root, "Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser Adopts Newborn in Surprise Announcement," 22 May 2018
Residents of the area, including the Rev. Ronald Smith and Phyllis Gosa, have alleged that since the landfill arrived, the town has been plagued by buzzards, foul odors, speeding garbage trucks and increased traffic on local roads.

— dennis pillion, AL.com, "Judge: EPA's delayed response to Alabama landfill complaint violated law," 5 Apr. 2018
Over the years, Kotulak has seen just about every sort of buzzard fan.

— bruce geiselman, cleveland.com, "Police arrest drunken driving suspect after crash: North Olmsted Police Blotter," 17 Mar. 2018
The buzzards may eventually be released into the wild.

— National Geographic, "Animals Rescued From the 'World’s Worst Zoo'," 26 Sep. 2016
Another good indicator is turkey buzzards and other soaring birds.

— david patterson, star-telegram, "A Soaring Passion," 27 Oct. 2017
The company is trying to replicate what buzzards, falcons, hawks and other birds can do naturally: locate moving warm pockets of air called thermals and glide.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "These AI Gliders Hunt for Updrafts to Fly Forever," 16 Aug. 2017
And, naturally, there are lesser parasites dining on what the buzzard leaves behind.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "Would You Rent from This Man?," 23 May 2017
They were told to watch for circling buzzards and to check foul-smelling trash cans.

— max londberg and laura bauer, kansascity.com, "25 years and no trace of 3 Missouri women: ‘People aren’t supposed to just disappear’," 7 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'buzzard.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

In Britain, the word buzzard refers chiefly to several birds of prey of the hawk genus Buteo. In North America, a buzzard is any of various New World vultures, especially the turkey vulture. In Australia, a large hawk of the genus Hamirostra is called a black-breasted buzzard. Buteos, also called buzzard hawks, can usually be distinguished when soaring by their broad wings and expansive rounded tail. The plumage of most species is dark brown above and white or mottled brown below; the tail and underside of the wings are usually barred. Buteos customarily prey on insects, small mammals, and occasionally birds. They nest in trees or on cliffs. Species range over much of the New World, Eurasia, and Africa. The red-tailed hawk, the most common North American buteo, is about 2 ft (60 cm) long.