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

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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

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 But, they're also known for being cutthroat and a little controversial. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026

Noun

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 The show, which follows the cutthroat lives of luxury real estate agents at The Oppenheim Group in Los Angeles, first premiered in 2019. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cutthroat

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutthroat

Adjective

Neill was magnetic as the ruthless CI Major Chester Campbell in Peaky Blinders—an antagonist and romantic rival of Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise, who has a tournament-high five assists, were also kept quiet by the ruthless Spaniards.

— Mark Hodge, NBC news, 15 July 2026

Definition of ruthless

Noun

Judith claims to be a forensic accountant, but is actually a career assassin whose very name sends shivers of fear through her enemies and ones of excitement through her admirers.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026
Julie has returned her old ways as an assassin, whilst navigating an equally perilous dating scene, while Edward’s honeymoon with Kayla (Shalom Brune-Franklin) doesn’t go quite as planned.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 July 2026

Definition of assassin

Adjective

Some rabbinic readings attribute Lot’s hesitation to leave Sodom to his immoral greed and inordinate wealth.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Court records show that 60-year-old Bradley Kyle Martin, of Dearborn Heights, is charged with using a computer or internet to communicate with another person to commit a crime and accosting children for immoral purposes.

— DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 25 June 2026

Definition of immoral

Noun

This psychological thriller stars Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a man with anterograde amnesia struggling to track down his wife’s murderer using a system of tattoos and notes.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
The voice cast is a murderer's row of famous Australians, including Sarah Snook, Eric Bana, and Nick Cave.

— Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026

Definition of murderer

Adjective

But when it’s tied to a famously corrupt institution like FIFA, the claims of grave injustice intensify and feel almost like the buildup to war.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 14 July 2026
The Chinese variant actually stimulates economic activity as corrupt officials sell the rights to monetize unproductive state assets to private enterprises.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 14 July 2026

Definition of corrupt

Noun

Throughout the school year, the students make some incredible progress identifying more potential victims, understanding the scope of the crimes and learning why serial killers were able to be so prolific in the 1980s.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 July 2026
Ahead of his final year at the prestigious Buckley School, Bret (Igby Rigney) is shaken up by a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory (Homer Gere), who arrives just as a serial killer called the Trawler is terrorizing LA.

— Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 13 July 2026

Definition of killer

Adjective

An unscrupulous politician whose opponent happens to be Virgil’s girlfriend, Marie?

— Chris Hewitt, Boston Herald, 10 July 2026
Surfshark is here to upgrade that experience while protecting your online activity from unscrupulous beings and saving you money, too.

— Stephanie Barnes, PC Magazine, 7 July 2026

Definition of unscrupulous

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Style

“Cutthroat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutthroat. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of cutthroat

adjective

noun

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