as in rapacious
living by killing and eating other animals hawks are predatory and pose a danger to rabbits and other pets

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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 predatory Juveniles responded with significantly more predatory behaviors in response to the calls of toxic toads compared with the adults. Logan S. James, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2025 Fintechs that can’t adapt in real time could be stuck holding the bag, or, worse, pushing their clients into predatory lending rates just to hedge new risks. Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025 Braun was fined $20 million in February 2024 by Manhattan federal court Judge Jed Rakoff in a civil case where the Federal Trade Commission had sued Braun for predatory lending practices. Dan Mangan, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2025 Best of all, fragrant herbs keep destructive insects away from zinnia flowers, and zinnias return the favor by attracting predatory insects that feed on herb pests. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for predatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predatory
Adjective
  • Remmick is a monster, but his homeland was colonized by some of the same rapacious forces that brought the twins’ ancestors to America.
    Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 2 May 2025
  • That voter initiative in the early 20th century made the commission the primary protector of California’s families and businesses against rapacious or unsafe electric and gas utilities.
    Loretta Lynch, Mercury News, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • However, thanks to aggressive conservation efforts, including predator control programs, habitat restoration, and breeding initiatives, several kiwi species have seen rebounds.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
  • Even so, the aggressive play in this post-season has stood out.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 11 May 2025
Adjective
  • Biological control: Parasitic wasps, predaceous beetles and birds assist in lowering sawfly populations.
    Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Look for and conserve natural enemies such as predaceous bugs, lacewings, lady beetles, and syrphids.
    The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Villegas pushed for the original measure after dangerous speeding and red-light running by raptorial tow drivers ended in a nearly catastrophic crash in his ward that saw a bus that had been hit by a tow truck plow through a storefront.
    Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Detailed testimonies of refugees along the Balkan route therefore challenge the conventional wisdom that officials tend to protect them from raptorial smugglers.
    Max Abrahms, Foreign Affairs, 22 Mar. 2017
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Russia is making steady gains in Ukraine, and Putin is preparing a summer offensive that could be the deadliest of the war so far, an expert has assessed.
    Isabel van Brugen, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • Drone video shows tornadoes' damage in Kentucky morning after deadly storms 01:30 4.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • The duo embark on a series of wild misadventures, with Turk’s extreme coaching tactics pushing Bob into increasingly unpredictable and outrageous situations.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 9 May 2025
  • Choose from a variety of wild Alaskan crab legs or domestic crab claws.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • Combs apologized for his violent behavior soon after the video's release.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 16 May 2025
  • For that reason, Torres-Chirinos is also charged with two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful alien.
    Chris Spargo, People.com, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • The crisis is in plain view and the wind is ferocious.
    Mark A. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • His Hozier cover was at turns strategic and nuanced, then unleashed and ferocious.
    Charlie Mason, TVLine, 5 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Predatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predatory. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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