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

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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 The governor’s framework rightfully makes stopping this kind of predatory chatbot behavior a priority. — Matt Post, Baltimore Sun, 1 Oct. 2026 That’s why Meta has agreed to pay up to eighteen billion dollars as part of a settlement over predatory and deceptive practices, and why Anthropic is paying writers and publishers (admittedly, pennies) in a copyright settlement. — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026 More water news In Northern California’s Clear Lake, the native fish are threatened by mercury contamination, toxic algal blooms and predatory invasive fish. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026 These predatory social wasps build large colonies and are notorious for scavenging around human food. — Nick Perry, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for predatory

Recent Examples of Synonyms for predatory

Adjective

The mythical image of the chivalrous mobster offered a way to ease the humiliating memory of losing the war and carried a nationalist charge, exploited in movies set amid black markets, rapacious Americans, and panpan girls.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
The absurdist look at greed and climate change, reality and the distorting power of media, feckless world leaders and rapacious billionaires, struggled to get off the ground.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of rapacious

Adjective

Environmentalists flex considerable muscle in the state and found an ally in Newsom, though the outgoing governor’s aggressive climate agenda ran into affordability and federal challenges in recent years.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
And definitely the lyrics are a lot more aggressive from Roger.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 5 Nov. 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

Seminci unveiled its winners Saturday morning in Valladolid after organizers canceled the traditional closing gala following a deadly train accident in Toledo province.

— Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 1 Nov. 2026
Elsewhere, deadly attacks continued and Ukraine's central bank warned that damage to industrial targets could push the country into a recession.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of deadly

Adjective

The rising, warming sea and ferocious winter storms have battered the road.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
One of the most celebrated objects from the India Museum is a mechanical wooden sculpture of a ferocious tiger gnawing at a British soldier’s throat.

— Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of ferocious

Adjective

The Colts have been engaged in trade discussions with players like Jonathan Taylor and Josh Downs after dealing Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner to kick off what many expect to be a wild trade deadline period.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
Representations of fauna include horses, deer, wild oxen, and at least one bear, though identification is difficult due to the limited depiction of details such as eyes, nostrils, hooves, manes, and coats.

— News Desk, Artforum, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of wild

Adjective

Reducing Gulliver’s Travels to only a topsy-turvy tale of humans both tiny and massive is to ignore the savage intellect that penned its words.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
In ancient, supposedly more savage times, public killings were common.

— Dr. Michael Good, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of savage

Browse Nearby Words

predators

predatory

predecease

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“Predatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predatory. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of predatory

adjective

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