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
There’s an adolescent’s sense of menace and taboo in her work, too, which often revolves around predatory adults and the vulnerable young women who counterintuitively welcome their abuse.
—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
McDonnell, who focuses on predatory fish and impacts from climate change and fishing, typically tags fish with sensors for studies.
—
Jenny Staletovich,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
And Henries worries that the new SBA policy will push more business owners toward riskier or predatory lending, including merchant cash advances.
—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
12 June 2026
This predatory cycle of exploitation ends here.
—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for predatory
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
McDonnell, who focuses on predatory fish and impacts from climate change and fishing, typically tags fish with sensors for studies.
—
Jenny Staletovich,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
And Henries worries that the new SBA policy will push more business owners toward riskier or predatory lending, including merchant cash advances.
—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
12 June 2026
This predatory cycle of exploitation ends here.
—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for predatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predatory
Adjective
-
Young women being preyed upon and seduced by rapacious Hollywood producers, stars and studio heads is a tired cliché, but like all clichés, it is based on reality.
-
Not the timeless myths of rapacious, demonic women or saintly self-sacrificial mothers.
Adjective
-
Grey-zone tactics refer to a range of aggressive tactics that vary from navy ship patrols to drone flights, but fall short of direct combat.
-
That will be decided in the coming hours, as the Heat remains in aggressive pursuit of a trade for Antetokounmpo.
Adjective
-
These food-crops also benefit from the work performed by predaceous insects that control populations of crop-eating invertebrates.
-
Biological control: Parasitic wasps, predaceous beetles and birds assist in lowering sawfly populations.
Adjective
-
In essence, the shrimp stores elastic energy inside the specialized raptorial limb, and a latch holds the limb in place while the muscles continue loading tension.
-
The front pair of legs is raptorial, meaning they are used for catching and grasping prey.
Adjective
-
At the same time, vaccination rates have declined, worrying experts that more people could become vulnerable to this potentially deadly but preventable infection.
-
The suspect, who has not yet been identified by police, was arrested in connection with the deadly shooting of 22-year-old Nasir Majied on Friday, June 5.
Adjective
-
Despite Gulf states’ efforts to avoid a regional conflict, the US – alongside Israel – launched a war against Iran, triggering ferocious retaliatory attacks across the Gulf and forcing regional governments to confront once again the question of what American protection really means.
-
In the film’s ferocious climax, Jim is shot but escapes with Selena and Hannah, and the story closes (28 days later) back in the countryside as a jet flies over and augurs their rescue.
Adjective
-
The new iteration sees The Cat in the Hat, voiced by Bill Hader, fighting for his job as a professional mischief-maker brought in to cheer up lackluster children after his wild antics go to far.
-
Situated in western Canada’s Alberta province, a tapestry of the Rocky Mountains serves as the backdrop across this wild frontier of limestone giants and ancient glaciers.
Adjective
-
For my microgeneration, the disillusionment crept in with the savage failure of the Iraq War.
-
Set in the fictional lands of Westeros, House of the Dragon depicts a savage succession struggle within House Targaryen and a resulting civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons.
Cite this Entry
“Predatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predatory. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
