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 Research shows that the marketing practices of commercial infant formula companies are predatory, pervasive and misleading. Ann Kellams, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025 During a recent appearance on VladTV, the iconic video vixen opened up about her experience touring the country at 14 years old and how the period exposed her to predatory behavior from associates of 2 Live Crew and other celebrities. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 29 Sep. 2025 Agitated, anxious honeybees, on the other hand, responded with pessimism when researchers shook them to simulate a predatory attack. Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025 Morrow’s predatory instinct comes out. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for predatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predatory
Adjective
  • But what if their rapacious appetites had an unexpected side effect?
    Rebecca Boyle, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Having secured both monopolies and monopsonies, tech companies behave more like rapacious rentiers than proper capitalists.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Being passive aggressive and giving non-committal responses is clearly not working.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
  • But even with the aggressive approach, the talent gap was evident.
    Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2025
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
  • Biological control: Parasitic wasps, predaceous beetles and birds assist in lowering sawfly populations.
    Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 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
  • Damsel bugs are slender and tan-colored and have slightly raptorial front legs.
    Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2023
Adjective
  • However, as Chambers’ trial kicked off on Friday, her attorney, Mark Thiessen, suggested an alternate reason for the deadly crash.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Because gas leaks can lead to fires or explosions, and CO can be deadly even in small amounts, both types of detectors are critical for home kitchen safety.
    Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The shocking circumstances of this clip may seem too wild to be real, and in this case, that's true.
    Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • And the public gets some wild movies and TV shows that would otherwise never get made, doing crazy-stupid stuff like recreating Napoleonic-era sea battles off the coast of the Galapagos.
    John Lopez, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Others, like Ghiath Dalla, a brigadier general whose forces were involved in violent repression of protests, is among several former officers plotting sabotage from Lebanon, according to ex-military commanders, who also shared text message exchanges with The Times.
    Danny Makki, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Continue reading … FED UP – Trump storms most violent US city with federal muscle as police group warns of soft-on-crime consequences.
    , FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • As previously announced, Andrew Garfield stars as the legendary leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Andrew Garfield is leading the feature that is now in production, portraying the leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II.
    Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Predatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predatory. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on predatory

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!