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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Recent Examples of predatory
Namely, Bolg and other fossils from the Kaiparowits Formation described in the study indicate that at least three types of predatory lizards existed in this region of modern-day southern Utah during the Late Cretaceous.
—
Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2025
But last year, in a bombshell 4-3 decision, the New York State Court of Appeals overturned that conviction, saying the trial judge should have never allowed other women whose allegations were not included in the charges to testify against him and establish a pattern of predatory behavior.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 11 June 2025
But the state’s highest court threw out that conviction last year, ruling that the trial judge should have never allowed women who weren’t part of the charges to testify against him and establish a pattern of predatory behavior.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 10 June 2025
While hammerhead worms are not a direct threat to humans or household pets, their predatory nature can have a lasting effect on a local ecosystem.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for predatory
Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2025
But last year, in a bombshell 4-3 decision, the New York State Court of Appeals overturned that conviction, saying the trial judge should have never allowed other women whose allegations were not included in the charges to testify against him and establish a pattern of predatory behavior.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 11 June 2025
But the state’s highest court threw out that conviction last year, ruling that the trial judge should have never allowed women who weren’t part of the charges to testify against him and establish a pattern of predatory behavior.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 10 June 2025
While hammerhead worms are not a direct threat to humans or household pets, their predatory nature can have a lasting effect on a local ecosystem.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for predatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predatory
Adjective
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But the cynicism that has always thrummed underneath his high-concept comedies — the dehumanizing algorithms, the rapacious finance system — is more prominent in this slim, potent novel.—
Mark Athitakis,
Los Angeles Times,
3 July 2025
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The show’s creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, has spoken movingly of his mixed feelings about the way his brutal satire of late-stage capitalism’s rapacious inhumanity has resonated so deeply with viewers around the world.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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Turkeys may become aggressive and territorial if comfortable in suburban areas.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
10 July 2025
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And signs have emerged that the White House may be misreading Trump’s election mandate and the political moment, with new polls showing public sentiment turning nationwide on the president’s increasingly aggressive enforcement tactics.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Biological control: Parasitic wasps, predaceous beetles and birds assist in lowering sawfly populations.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025
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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
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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
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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
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Wetlands need restoration to once again catch phosphorus that pours from extinct volcanoes and prevent the growth of deadly algae.—
Shaun McKinnon,
AZCentral.com,
15 July 2025
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Central Texas is still reeling from the destructive and deadly floodwaters, which were spurred by nearly unprecedented rainfall that swelled the Guadalupe River, drowning portions of the state's Hill Country.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Best Nordstrom Anniversary Sale accessory deals Some pretty wild things are going on over in the accessories department, where high-summer necessities like city bags and sleek sunglasses are up to 45% off.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
8 July 2025
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Fortune Feimster partnered with Johnsonville, the popular sausage brand, for a wild Fourth of July bash at Summerfest in Milwaukee.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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The two got married, had a baby, and started a quiet life together far away from his violent past.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
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As droves of tourists continue to flock to Spain for European summer vacations, the nation’s emergency responders are dealing with the aftermath of a violent wave of flash flooding in nearly half of the country’s 50 provinces.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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On the wall behind her, Gauguin has painted glyphs like those discovered on Easter Island, and a masked female figure, ferocious and bare-breasted.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
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Last time around, the titular Addams Family member, portrayed by Jenna Ortega, saved Nevermore by solving the mystery of the Hyde’s identity and putting a stop to the ferocious creature.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Predatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predatory. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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