PREDATORY Synonyms: 18 Similar and Opposite Words

predatory

adjective

ˈpre-də-ˌtȯr-ē

Definition of predatory

as in rapacious

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

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 predatory This is nothing less than a predatory act to replicate the city of Sunny Isles all over Florida, right under our noses. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026 There is perhaps a subtle critique here, of the predatory instincts of the filmmaker towards their subject, of the desire to invade someone else’s life and shape their reality according to your own will. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026 If his plea is accepted, court documents say Wetzel will be put on probation for five years and will be added to the predatory offender registry for 10 years. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 To legitimize its role as something more than predatory domination, Washington launched the Arab-Israeli peace process in hopes of integrating its Arab allies and Israel into a common security framework. — Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for predatory

Recent Examples of Synonyms for predatory

Adjective

And as independent news sites go belly-up as a result of a lack of traffic, rapacious AI entrepreneurs are circling like buzzards.

— Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 24 Sep. 2026
All this rapacious consumerism sits somewhat awkwardly alongside Hermès’s image of Old World gentility.

— Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of rapacious

Adjective

The customized coupe features a T-top roof, aggressive aero body kit, and a graphics package that could have appeared in the original The Fast and the Furious.

— Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2026
At 5-10, 198 pounds, Parrish mostly played nickel corner in Todd Bowles’ aggressive scheme and shined as a rookie.

— PJ Green September 24, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of aggressive

Adjective

These food-crops also benefit from the work performed by predaceous insects that control populations of crop-eating invertebrates.

— Bruce Beehler, Baltimore Sun, 17 Aug. 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

Definition of predaceous

Adjective

Given the absence of venom, the researchers propose that these arachnids likely use strong raptorial pedipalps (claw-like appendages).

— Jay Kakade July 13, New Atlas, 14 July 2026
These predators patrol, stalk and swiftly capture their prey with raptorial front legs.

— Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 July 2026

Definition of raptorial

Adjective

For this argument Thomasine was jailed—stuffed into a damp, stinking, deadly stone cell crawling with rats and lice—to force her to change her beliefs.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Bands of heavy rain have been moving onshore from Delaware up to Massachusetts on Sunday amid a nor'easter that has turned deadly.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of deadly

Adjective

Pursuing Leamas and Doris are Josef Fiedler and Hans-Dieter Mundt, two Stasi operatives whose ferocious desire to shut down the intelligence leak is matched only by their internal rivalry and an iron will to outmatch each other.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
Pursuing Leamas and Doris are Josef Fiedler (Brühl) and Hans-Dieter Mundt (Kammerer), two Stasi operatives whose ferocious desire to shut down the intelligence leak is matched only by their internal rivalry and an iron will to outmatch each other.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of ferocious

Adjective

The movie was met with multiple mid-screening applauses as the crowd went wild for all the kaiju mayhem on screen.

— Antonio Ferme, Variety, 27 Sep. 2026
Nolan Arenado hit one of Arizona's three home runs and Geraldo Perdomo drove in four runs for the Diamondbacks, who beat San Diego 11-4 on Friday night to remain alive for the National League's final wild-card spot.

— ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of wild

Adjective

The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index weathered a savage 30% drawdown, has been choppily trendless for two months, then in recent days finally broke above its downtrend and surmounted the 50-day moving average.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
Hamilton lets down Claire’s savage hauteur; Mays’ eyes glisten with all the regrets of lost love.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of savage

Browse Nearby Words

predators

predatory

predecease

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Predatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predatory. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of predatory

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

argot

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes