Definition of bottom-feedernext
as in opportunist
one who does things only for his own benefit and with little regard for right and wrong that bottom-feeder would run over his own mother if it would help him get ahead in his career

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bottom-feeder Use worms fished right on the bottom to entice the subtle-striking bottom-feeders. Chad Mason, Outdoor Life, 3 June 2026 Under the revised structure, the ninth- and 10th-worst teams will carry the same 5.4% chance at the top overall pick as the NBA’s true bottom-feeders. Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2026 Even Miami was a bottom-feeder until Messi arrived, and even then — yes, after 2024 Supporters’ Shield and 2023 Leagues Cup successes — the club suffered a first-round playoff exit in his first full season. Avi Creditor, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026 These sharks are thought to be bottom-feeders, preying on fish that frequent the floors of rivers and estuaries. John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026 Games against real teams will reveal far more about the Magic’s mindset than any blowout over a bottom-feeder. Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026 The Warriors already might be too far ahead in the standings to catch bottom-feeders like the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers in the race to maximize their draft-lottery odds. Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026 For nearly the first two decades of their existence, the New Orleans Saints were NFL bottom-feeders. Jim Reineking, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025 Chicago is currently mired in a miserable seven-game losing streak, a confounding skid that includes defeats against NBA bottom-feeders like the New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, and Brooklyn Nets. Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottom-feeder
Noun
  • Indeed, once the former’s economic situation forces them to withdraw from hosting duties just four years before kickoff, the opportunist pulls out every unscrupulous trick in the book to thwart the rival bids from, ironically, Canada and USA.
    Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 10 June 2026
  • Petrescu told me she was predisposed to accept Tate’s explanation that Stern was an opportunist looking for money.
    Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • The after-hours event for guests 21 and older will feature shark experts, scuba divers feeding eels, sharks and more in the Living Seas exhibition; a DJ and more.
    La Jolla Light, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 June 2026
  • The study suggests that persistent turbidity plumes created by coastal modification projects may interfere with shark prey capture and could increase the likelihood of unintended human interactions.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • Thus the self-seekers and the doctrinaires were drawn together into an alliance to maintain the status quo, and all its abuses and inequalities were made sacrosanct.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011

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Cite this Entry

“Bottom-feeder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottom-feeder. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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