dog-eat-dog

adjective

ˌdȯg-ˌē(t)-ˈdȯg How to pronounce dog-eat-dog (audio)
Synonyms of dog-eat-dognext
: marked by ruthless self-interest
dog-eat-dog competition

Examples of dog-eat-dog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 Rhyme schemes become secondary to dog-eat-dog dogma. — Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dog-eat-dog

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dog-eat-dog was in 1834

Rhymes for dog-eat-dog

See All Rhymes for dog-eat-dog

Browse Nearby Words

dog-eared
dog-eat-dog
dogey
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dog-eat-dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dog-eat-dog. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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