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
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
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Recent Examples of cutthroat
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Unlike the apparently cutthroat world of horror movie poster collecting, Hammett has found a certain code of honor among guitar-seekers over the years he’s spent assembling the collection spotlighted in his new book.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 2 June 2025
The cutthroat hustle of the archetypical gangsta rapper courses through Sinners’ protagonists, twins Smoke and Stack, both played by Michael B. Jordan.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cutthroat
Adjective
The sybaritic highwayman Macheath maneuvers between a cutthroat capitalist milieu (Mr. and Mrs. Peachum) and a corrupt police force (led by Tiger Brown) while seducing daughters from both worlds (Polly Peachum and Lucy Brown).
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Unlike the apparently cutthroat world of horror movie poster collecting, Hammett has found a certain code of honor among guitar-seekers over the years he’s spent assembling the collection spotlighted in his new book.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
Similar Reads Where to Drop a Line Slough Creek
Cast a dry fly on the meandering bends of Slough Creek, one of Yellowstone’s most productive cutthroat fisheries.
—Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 2 June 2025
The cutthroat hustle of the archetypical gangsta rapper courses through Sinners’ protagonists, twins Smoke and Stack, both played by Michael B. Jordan.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cutthroat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutthroat
Adjective
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Confronting Iran’s ruthless campaign of terror, nuclear ambitions, and regional aggression demands strength, resolve, and strategic clarity.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
21 June 2025
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Michael Fassbender plays the deceased Apple guru — a flawed, ruthless, but ultimately compassionate soul.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
Noun
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Alpha Slow Horse agent River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) unravels the connection between himself and the former CIA operative-turned-mercenary (Hugo Weaving) who’s raised an entire brood of psychopathic assassins.—
Hugh Hart,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2025
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Carey plays the role of the relentless assassin well.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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In the age of print, Hamburg was the birthplace of magazine publishing, and Paris the birthplace of the literary review and the gossip rag; but restless, immoral London was where the advice column first transformed people’s private lives into object lessons for ethical behavior.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
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The film gathers immoral cops, ruthless women and corrupt politicians to complete the world of populist cinema based in hinterlands of India.—
Sweta Kaushal,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
Noun
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Released in the height of the true crime-craze, real-life murders and murderers were depicted, including Charles Manson and David Berkowitz.—
Rance Collins,
IndieWire,
21 June 2025
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Tony Crane, who plays JJ’s estranged father/murderer Chandler Groff, and Cullen Moss, who plays Sheriff Victor Shoupe, have been upped to series regular for Season 5, TVLine has learned.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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His family’s investments in cryptocurrency, including allegations of corrupt self-dealing, galvanized most Democrats to oppose the bill.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
17 June 2025
-
The film gathers immoral cops, ruthless women and corrupt politicians to complete the world of populist cinema based in hinterlands of India.—
Sweta Kaushal,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
Noun
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Failing to measure and address these benchmarks can lead to silent brand killers.—
Liam Dunne,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
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The series will look into the mind of the twisted killer, who was among the inspirations behind Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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Harper, the one sister who didn’t marry or have children, also is in debt to an unscrupulous creditor.—
Oline H. Cogdill,
Sun Sentinel,
25 June 2025
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The effects for both the businesses who engage unknowingly with unscrupulous providers and consumers are far-reaching, affecting both consumer trust and potentially business reputation.—
Frederik Gregaard,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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The notorious Sackler family, opioid pushers responsible for countless cases of addiction and death, can’t seem to settle their legal problems without turning to some kind of unprincipled maneuver.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
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Objective voters who watched the recent documentary about Lev Parnas, once a Trump ally, should fear a redux of a Cabinet running the government for an angry, unhinged, unprincipled man.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Cutthroat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutthroat. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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