CUTTHROAT Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

cutthroat 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of cutthroat

as in ruthless

not guided by or showing a concern for what is right cutthroat business practices intended to drive competitors out of business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cutthroat

2 of 2

noun

ˈkət-ˌthrōt

as in assassin

a person who kills another person while traveling the ancient Silk Road, traders were constant prey to cutthroats and thieves

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 cutthroat

Adjective

It is described as a dark comedy set in the cutthroat world of sorority recruitment. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026 Even in the cutthroat days of Old Hollywood, a starlet could suddenly find fame after simply being discovered at a soda shop. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2026

Noun

Coming off a cutthroat season that drew the most viewers back to the program in a decade, the competition coming this fall is already gearing up to be one for the books. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 18 June 2026 Knowing the history of the cutthroat beer wars of the past is required to understand King Snedley’s unexpected appearance. — Bill Swank, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cutthroat

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutthroat

Adjective

Joe has always been ruthless, but never quite as tunnel-visioned in her motivations.

— Andy Andersen, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2026
Therefore, if Question 3 passes in this fall’s elections, Annapolis Democrats will forever be able to engage in ruthless gerrymandering to ensure that Maryland never elects another Republican or independent to Congress.

— Chris West, Baltimore Sun, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of ruthless

Noun

Its tale of a Zainichi assassin (an ethnic Korean in Japan), as well as fraying political tensions between the North and South, take its characters far and wide, in a follow-the-money treasure hunt dangerously close to the halls of power.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
Some earlier assassins expected it of themselves, canceling plots that would have killed bystanders.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of assassin

Noun

Some of Zahnd’s career highlights include the 2022 conviction of Grayden Denham, the first quadruple murderer in the county’s history, and the 2020 murder conviction of Letti Strait for the shooting death of Charles Cammisano, her ex-husband.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026
An online swarm of sleuths and influencers has been dissecting every detail of the case, developing theories that portray him as uncaring, unfaithful and even the murderer of his children.

— Ross Douthat, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of murderer

Adjective

Many choose to make use of a corrupt brokerage system, where people with connections in the foreign ministry and other regime appendages facilitate large bribes for new, and sometimes fake, documentation.

— Andrew Nachemson, The Dial, 22 Sep. 2026
But already the thought tugged at me that the scales that had turned were not celestial, but legal, the workings of the same system condemned in the camp as corrupt and broken.

— J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of corrupt

Noun

After the undisputed killers plead insanity, doctors for the left-wing prosecutor and the defense often back their claims, judges approve the pleas, and the acquittees submit to annual reviews assessing whether the state should release them.

— Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2026
Soil compaction from construction work is another slow-moving tree killer.

— Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of killer

Adjective

But that can come with its own risks, especially with an unscrupulous agent.

— Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
In 2026, how reasonable are fears that AI, either by escaping human control or through misuse by unscrupulous people, could cause a cataclysmic event or the downfall of civilization?

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026