predatory

adjective

pred·​a·​to·​ry ˈpre-də-ˌtȯr-ē 

1

a

: of, relating to, or practicing plunder or pillage

b

: inclined or intended to injure or exploit others for personal gain or profit

predatory pricing practices

2

: living by predation : predaceous

also : adapted to predation

Synonyms of predatory

• rapacious
• aggressive
• predaceous
• raptorial
• deadly
• ferocious
• wild
• savage

Examples of predatory in a Sentence

Hawks are predatory and may pose a danger to rabbits and other small pets.

The company made millions for investors but clearly engaged in predatory lending practices.

Recent Examples on the Web

It’s also produced a challenging landscape of predatory contracts and other potential pitfalls. —Eric Prisbell, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026

Stephanie has vilified predatory slot-machine operators and is opposed to prop bets, which provide opportunities to bet on an individual play or a player statistic. —Jasper Craven, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026

To this very day, Europe, home to the third-largest economy in the world (albeit very nearly the size of China’s), depends on the United States to protect it against a predatory Russia, which has a GDP the size of Italy’s. —Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026

The world, after trying in vain to placate its predatory hegemon, now seems to have started the hard work of rebalancing. —Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for predatory

• allegory
• amatory
• auditory
• category
• clerestory
• crematory
• desultory
• dilatory
• dormitory
• excretory
• extempore
• feudatory

Kids Definition

predatory

adjective

pred·​a·​to·​ry ˈpred-ə-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

1

: of, relating to, or marked by robbing or using others for personal gain

predatory raids

2

: living by predation

predatory animals

Legal Definition

predatory

adjective

pred·​a·​to·​ry ˈpre-də-ˌtōr-ē 

1

: inclined or intended to injure competitors by unfair means

subject to antitrust liability for predatory conduct

—National Law Journal

predatory bidding

2

: inclined or intended to injure or exploit others for personal gain or profit

predatory loans

3

: of or relating to a sexual predator

predatory assault