vulture

noun

vul·​ture ˈvəl-chər 

1

: any of various large birds (families Accipitridae and Cathartidae) that are related to the hawks, eagles, and falcons but have weaker claws and the head usually naked and that subsist chiefly or entirely on carrion

2

: a rapacious or predatory person

vulturish

ˈvəl-chə-rish 

adjective

Synonyms

• bloodsucker
• buzzard
• harpy
• kite
• predator
• shark
• vampire
• wolf

Examples of vulture in a Sentence

As soon as they learned of his arrest, the media vultures started circling.

noted that the paparazzi are vultures who could not exist without the connivance of the tabloid-buying public

Recent Examples on the Web

The tastemakers gave way to the number crunchers, and now the number crunchers are sending the TV channels off to the vultures. —Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2025

Now the vultures are circling on two of Huijsen’s fellow defensive mainstays last season in Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi. —James McNicholas, New York Times, 9 June 2025

McDaniel’s aware the vultures are circling, but doubt has not crept in. —Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025

Large winged shadows crossed our paths, cast by vultures hunting for carcasses. —Benji Jones, Vox, 21 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vultur, from Anglo-French, from Latin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing vulture

• bearded vulture
• turkey vulture
• vulture capitalism

Rhymes for vulture

• culture
• kultur
• agriculture
• apiculture
• aquaculture
• counterculture
• floriculture
• horticulture
• mariculture
• monoculture
• sericulture
• silviculture

Kids Definition

vulture

noun

vul·​ture ˈvəl-chər 

1

: any of various large birds that feed mostly on animals found dead and that are related to the hawks and eagles but have weaker claws and the head usually naked

2

: a greedy or predatory person