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
Black and his co-writers soften the cold mercenary side of Parker by giving him something of a moral compass, which prompts him to toss $10,000 to the stranger’s wife before fleeing the scene.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Earth hires a mercenary company that gamifies the eviction process.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
The relevance of The Lord is impossible to ignore, especially in the character of a British journalist, who is extremely detached and mercenary.
—Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Both sides need mercenaries to survive and this box provides a campaign framework for running a mercenary company willing to die for that almighty C-Bill.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mercenary
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Earth hires a mercenary company that gamifies the eviction process.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
The relevance of The Lord is impossible to ignore, especially in the character of a British journalist, who is extremely detached and mercenary.
—Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Both sides need mercenaries to survive and this box provides a campaign framework for running a mercenary company willing to die for that almighty C-Bill.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mercenary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercenary
Adjective
-
But Septime Webre’s choreography is supposed to have the air of wild and sometimes frenzied social dancing, of Charlestons and Fox Trots and Black Bottoms, of indulging the glorious excesses of the 1920s before the greedier side of the American Dream comes crashing down a few years later.—
David Lyman,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Which is to say, this isn’t the story of a greedy, materialistic man who suffers a crisis of conscience while trying to pry a priceless treasure away from an uneducated hick who doesn’t know any better.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Legacy OEMs joined in on the action, as well, with debuts from McLaren and Rolls-Royce drawing crowds eager to get up close and personal or snap a selfie with the latest and greatest.—
Michael Van Runkle,
Robb Report,
4 Nov. 2025
-
While Williams has always kept her love life private, fans are eager to know more about the man who captured her heart.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
What Netanyahu wants is not this peace deal or avaricious annexations, but to stay in power.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
21 Oct. 2025
-
But is better than the alternative of admitting to an avaricious Moscow that Ukraine must accept some kind of defeat.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Building out that platform and benefiting as more teams are plugged into it has meant Leonsis and MSE have stayed acquisitive.—
Ian Thomas,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Retail e-commerce penetration had surged during the pandemic, which brought a rush of acquisitive capital into the space.—
Lien De Pau,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mercenary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercenary. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share