as in opportunistic
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Recent Examples of dog-eat-dog
Rhyme schemes become secondary to dog-eat-dog dogma.
—
Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025
Stability and predictability would be the exception, not the norm, in a dog-eat-dog world.
—Alexander Stubb, Foreign Affairs, 2 Dec. 2025
Joy radiates in the room, and a dog-eat-dog environment where people cut each other off is replaced by open collaboration.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 19 Sep. 2025
Each episode is built around a tense, dog-eat-dog hunt, where each player becomes either a Predator or Prey.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 July 2025
Ditch the dog-eat-dog mentality and figure out how to combine their apocalyptic gifts against a common enemy.
—Natalie Zutter
june 30, Literary Hub, 30 June 2025
The antics that ensue are amusing, but there isn’t much incisiveness in the increasingly farcical dog-eat-dog dénouement.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 4 June 2025
With or without his unusual backstory, Greenhalgh quickly realised that elite professional football is a dog-eat-dog world, especially for those who are still trying to prove themselves.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025
Stability and predictability would be the exception, not the norm, in a dog-eat-dog world.
—Alexander Stubb, Foreign Affairs, 2 Dec. 2025
Joy radiates in the room, and a dog-eat-dog environment where people cut each other off is replaced by open collaboration.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 19 Sep. 2025
Each episode is built around a tense, dog-eat-dog hunt, where each player becomes either a Predator or Prey.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 July 2025
Ditch the dog-eat-dog mentality and figure out how to combine their apocalyptic gifts against a common enemy.
—Natalie Zutter
june 30, Literary Hub, 30 June 2025
The antics that ensue are amusing, but there isn’t much incisiveness in the increasingly farcical dog-eat-dog dénouement.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 4 June 2025
With or without his unusual backstory, Greenhalgh quickly realised that elite professional football is a dog-eat-dog world, especially for those who are still trying to prove themselves.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dog-eat-dog
Adjective
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But our post featuring a turnaround in Estee Lauder (EL) was even more opportunistic and memorable in that that stock staged a lasting bullish reversal following a strong counter-trend setup in an environment characterized by persistent weakness in the broader consumer staples sector.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
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But the difference against Rice, and what led to the Bobcats' strong finish to the year, was an opportunistic defense that held the Owls to 196 total yards and captured three takeaways.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Rooting out corrupt generals and criminal networks could take months, or even years.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Certainly, part of the way to improve Venezuela and to improve the Western Hemisphere and improve the lives of Americans is to get their very corrupt 25 years in decline, oil industry back going again.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But audiences and critics alike loved the swing (which included, amid a kaleidoscope of depraved mayhem, disastrous IPOs, a brawl in a kids’ soft play area, abusive billionaire parents and two sudden deaths — one shockingly violent).—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
5 Jan. 2026
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Next, the dog may experience furious rabies, which is when the animal becomes aggressive and displays depraved appetite, eating things such as stones or trash, according to VCA Animal Hospitals.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
24 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Michael Rubin, the founder and chief executive officer of Fanatics, describes himself as a scrappy entrepreneur, someone who doesn’t read and a degenerate gambler.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
12 Jan. 2026
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In two minutes of ranting and raving about his degenerate son’s twenty-six-thousand-dollar dinner bill, Reiner gave an indelible comedic performance destined to be quoted for years to come.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Only the first is still fashionable, and the last has been so debased, misused, and weaponized over the centuries as to be almost unspeakable in polite company.—
Zadie Smith,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
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But in recent years, acts of brazen violence have been the grim drumbeat of a debased national politics.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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There were months of speculation that Sam Levinson’s debauched series—about teenagers getting up to stuff no parent ever wants to know about—wouldn’t be able to get off the ground for a third run thanks to the new star power and busy schedules of its cast (Zendaya!—
Lucy Ford,
Time,
27 Dec. 2025
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The film follows a wealthy socialite and a struggling writer who are thrown together at a debauched party.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This season on the road, Newcastle have been particularly profligate in possession.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
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The profligate spending of the Biden administration and the monetary mismanagement of the Federal Reserve caused both home prices and interest rates to skyrocket, a deadly one-two punch that knocked out the housing market.—
E.J. Antoni,
Mercury News,
28 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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But a new study has found that such workplace jargon may be doing more harm than good—making employees feel confused, demoralized and less likely to collaborate with their coworkers.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
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The octogenarian trying to reach a new generation of voters amid a demoralized Democratic Party is a stark juxtaposition.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dog-eat-dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dog-eat-dog. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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