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
Four women are coming forward, filing a lawsuit alleging years of predatory behavior by a teacher and coach at Oswego High School and a failure by District 308 to act early on.
—
Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
Dolan says many people also felt that the large loans from China were predatory and made countries economically vulnerable.
—Fatma Tanis, NPR, 24 Feb. 2026
Roblox is being sued by Los Angeles County over accusations of failing to protect children from predatory behavior, marking the latest of this kind of lawsuit leveled against the popular gaming platform.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 19 Feb. 2026
Golubski’s predatory behavior seemed to have been not so much an open secret as just open.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for predatory
Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
Dolan says many people also felt that the large loans from China were predatory and made countries economically vulnerable.
—Fatma Tanis, NPR, 24 Feb. 2026
Roblox is being sued by Los Angeles County over accusations of failing to protect children from predatory behavior, marking the latest of this kind of lawsuit leveled against the popular gaming platform.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 19 Feb. 2026
Golubski’s predatory behavior seemed to have been not so much an open secret as just open.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for predatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predatory
Adjective
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But then there is the rapacious Bavarian and national media, for whom negativity about Bayern is big business, and a dressing room always loaded with forthright personalities and egos.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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Carville’s theory was and remains controversial—his critics point to the lasting damage Trump has inflicted everywhere since his rapacious return to office while the Democrats have looked on haplessly.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While investors had broadly praised Abel's first annual shareholder letter for reaffirming Berkshire's long-standing culture of financial strength and disciplined investing, some had hoped for more aggressive signals on capital deployment given the company's swelling cash balance.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
2 Mar. 2026
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Continue reading … CROSSING A LINE — JFK's grandson defends 'aggressive' posts about Vance's wife.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
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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Damsel bugs are slender and tan-colored and have slightly raptorial front legs.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 July 2023
Adjective
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Highways were jammed overnight and into Monday with people fleeing after what was Israel's deadliest barrage on Lebanon in more than a year, striking hours after Hezbollah fired missiles across the border for the first time in more than a year.—
FADI TAWIL,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
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The deadly attack is among 56 mass shootings in the US so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.—
Amanda Musa,
CNN Money,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Knicks did a lot right in their first matchup of the year against the defending champs, from their defense on Gilgeous-Alexander to a trademark second half rally ushering in ferocious third- and fourth-quarter runs to bring the victory within arm’s distance.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
5 Mar. 2026
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His journey introduces him to ferocious beasts, a strange and wondrous land, and the beginnings of an unforgettable friendship.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Their opposing philosophies on farming spark a long-running feud, with the film following the two Dereks’ turbulent, often funny relationship as tempers fray, wild animals escape and the land is transformed.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
2 Mar. 2026
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Studies prove that 80% of wild animals tested result positive for the most common anticoagulant rodenticide poison being overused today, SGARs.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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They were met with savage brutality, with as many as 30,000 murdered by their own government.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
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But they were met with savage brutality, with as many as 30,000 souls murdered by their own government.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Predatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predatory. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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