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
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Recent Examples of mercenary
Six British men were later convicted of national security and arson offenses; ringleader Dylan Earl, 21, had been recruited by the Russian mercenary outfit Wagner and was paid about $12,000 for the attack.
—
The Week Us, TheWeek, 17 Feb. 2026
Alekseyev, 64, played a prominent role during the mutiny by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in the summer of 2023.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
In 2023, Alekseyev was sent by the Russian military to negotiate with Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner private mercenary group, during the Wagner group’s mutiny.
—Cnn's Tim Lister, CNN Money, 8 Feb. 2026
At the time Alekseyev, was filmed sitting with Prigozhin in a Russian military compound taken over by Wagner, trying to persuade the mercenary chief to call off his troops.
—CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mercenary
The Week Us, TheWeek, 17 Feb. 2026
Alekseyev, 64, played a prominent role during the mutiny by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in the summer of 2023.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
In 2023, Alekseyev was sent by the Russian military to negotiate with Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner private mercenary group, during the Wagner group’s mutiny.
—Cnn's Tim Lister, CNN Money, 8 Feb. 2026
At the time Alekseyev, was filmed sitting with Prigozhin in a Russian military compound taken over by Wagner, trying to persuade the mercenary chief to call off his troops.
—CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mercenary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercenary
Adjective
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And right now, these corrupt billionaires, these greedy corporations, are determining all avenues of our life, all types of policies.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
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Fears of robbery, greedy family and friends, scammers, mismanagement and unwanted attention are among the concerns that keep some big winners hesitant to go public.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Republicans are eager to put Democrats on record opposing the bill’s hallmark components, including proof of citizenship when registering to vote and a national standard for photo IDs at the ballot box.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Mar. 2026
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In a wide-ranging interview with Politico in Brussels, published on Tuesday, the Netflix Co-CEO was keen to discuss new efforts by the EU to regulate the media industry, but appeared eager to put the story of Netflix’s unsuccessful WBD bid to bed.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Henwick’s Ruth, opposite Margaret Qualley’s avaricious Julia, represent a fork in the road for Becket.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Feb. 2026
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Harlan has an avaricious family, each member of which has something to gain from his death.—
Anna Russell,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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As Canva reckons with dramatic changes in the market, the design software vendor is getting acquisitive.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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The company has already been strategically acquisitive, buying the experiential marketing and events firm Experiential Supply Co. last year, and the Roost Podcast Network from Warner Bros.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mercenary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercenary. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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