as in opportunists
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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Recent Examples of bottom-feeders
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
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-feeders
Noun
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Some of those pushing anti-Jewish invective on the right are opportunists.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2026
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During her opening statement on Tuesday, defense lawyer Teny Geragos sought to cast the women who have come forward against the Alexander brothers as being opportunists motivated by money.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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How many people are attacked by sharks each year?—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
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The most sensitive sharks to the device were in the order Carcharhiniformes, which includes oceanic white-tip sharks and blue sharks.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bottom-feeders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottom-feeders. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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