raider

noun

raid·​er ˈrā-dər How to pronounce raider (audio)
Synonyms of raidernext
: one that raids: such as
a
: a fast lightly armed ship operating against merchant shipping
b
: a soldier specially trained for close-range fighting
c
: one that attempts a usually hostile takeover of a business corporation
corporate raiders

Examples of raider in a Sentence

The village needs protection from enemy raiders. Raiders had emptied the tomb of treasure. He made his fortune as a corporate raider.
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.
February has a larger update, Shrouded Sky, which introduces a new map condition, ARC threat, player project, raider deck, expedition window and a map update. Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026 Nor did their eyes shed tears over the burning library that raiders furnished with the ashes of seven thousand books, which the novelist Mamdouh Azzam had collected over fifty years inside his house in Suwayda. Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026 Millions couldn’t escape the raiders on the continent. Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026 Set two-hundred years after atomic armageddon, residents of Vault-Tec’s network of luxury fallout habitats begin to explore the radioactive territory outside their shelters and discover a nightmarish world of militant factions, irradiated creatures, vicious raiders, and feral monsters. Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for raider

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of raider was in 1861

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Raider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raider. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

Legal Definition

raider

noun
raid·​er
: one that attempts a usually hostile takeover of a business corporation compare white knight

More from Merriam-Webster on raider

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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