Synonyms of mercenary

mercenary

adjective

as in greedy

having or marked by an eager and often selfish desire especially for material possessions

they were a mercenary couple, who defined themselves not by what they were but by what they owned

Synonyms & Similar Words

• greedy
• avaricious
• eager
• acquisitive
• covetous
• avid
• rapacious
• grasping
• moneygrubbing
• materialistic
• coveting
• grabby
• desirous
• miserly
• piggish
• insatiable
• egocentric
• hoggish
• ravenous
• gluttonous
• piggy
• malcontent
• discontented
• egotistic
• commercialistic
• unquenchable
• grudging
• egoistic
• unsatisfied
• lickerish
• swinish
• voracious
• resentful
• self-centered
• itchy
• begrudging
• discontent
• devouring
• self-seeking
• philistine
• gobbling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• charitable
• liberal
• altruistic
• generous
• handsome
• selfless
• unselfish
• magnanimous
• munificent
• controlled
• bountiful
• bounteous
• unsparing
• moderate
• nonmaterialistic
• restrained
• temperate
• content
• openhanded
• openhearted
• satisfied
• freehanded
• greathearted
• sated

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mercenary

Appearing as push notifications, emails and messages within the settings app, Apple threat notifications are sent to users who may be targeted by mercenary spyware attacks. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026

Apple has issued a fresh round of mercenary spyware warnings to select iPhone users in 110 countries, TechCrunch reports. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026

Meanwhile, a mistaken identity twist has a mercenary nicknamed Not Metal Head Dave (LaKeith Stanfield) and a team of Danish scientists and security contractors hot on their heels. — Katie Walsh, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026

When the mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin rebelled against Putin, in 2023, the Wall Street Journal reported that then security council chief Nikolai Patrushev, age 75, orchestrated the plane crash that killed the rebel leader. — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026