dog-eat-dog

adjective

ˌdȯg-ˌē(t)-ˈdȯg 

: marked by ruthless self-interest

dog-eat-dog competition

Examples of dog-eat-dog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Soon enough, Karl’s seemingly foolproof blackmail scheme devolves into a merciless, dog-eat-dog fight for survival, and the two men are locked in a cutthroat collision course, their fates now inextricably linked. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 July 2026

But social mobility in this dog-eat-dog environment comes at a high price, one the benevolent Rastignac is initially unwilling to pay. — Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026

Halton described himself as an explosive play-maker who can be a dog in a dog-eat-dog world. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026

People sometimes forget that World War II was a dog-eat-dog struggle for resources – oil and uranium but also dozens of other materials, everything from rubber to copper. — Thomas Robertson, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dog-eat-dog

• analog
• analogue
• catalogue
• decalogue
• demagogue
• dialogue
• epilogue
• homologue
• monologue
• pedagogue
• synagogue
• tagalog