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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 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
-
People being selfish, people being greedy, people murdering other people, people kidnapping other people, taking advantage of women, people taking advantage of children, all of this awful stuff.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Other teams — notably the Danes, the Italians and the Americans — decided to let the greedier bunch scrap for the same optimum position on the line.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The firefighters shrugged him off and seemed eager to finish the assignment.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Pembroke Pines Commissioners Tom Good and Mike Hernandez won reelection Tuesday despite a challenge from rivals eager to represent Broward County’s second most populous city.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Henwick’s Ruth, opposite Margaret Qualley’s avaricious Julia, represent a fork in the road for Becket.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Harlan has an avaricious family, each member of which has something to gain from his death.—
Anna Russell,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
As Canva reckons with dramatic changes in the market, the design software vendor is getting acquisitive.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
-
L’Oréal, which was highly acquisitive in 2025, with deals to purchase Kering Beauty, Medik8 and ColorWow, as well as an additional 10 percent stake in Galderma, among other transactions, no doubt will continue enriching its portfolio in the new year.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mercenary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercenary. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
