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 of cutthroat

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

With the parents distracted by their game of cat and mouse, the kids are left adrift in the kind of cutthroat private school where suicide is an everyday topic. —Miles Klee, Wired News, 12 Apr. 2026

Dimples, khaki shorts, and the mind behind the show’s cutthroat challenges, this shirt nods to Probst and his long run as executive producer and host of Survivor. —Brittany Anas, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026

Adjective

The fate of Runway now in the hands of Elias Clark scion Jay and his team of cutthroat management consultants, Andy, seeking a lifeline, reaches out to Dior honcho Emily and her bizarre tech billionaire biohacker boyfriend Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux). —Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026

Stanley dealers were not in cutthroat competition for filthy lucre. —Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1583, 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