SHARK Synonyms: 135 Similar and Opposite Words

shark

noun

Definition of shark

as in dodger

a dishonest person who uses clever means to cheat others out of something of value a card shark

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in expert

a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field a shark at calculus

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in predator

a person who habitually preys upon others being a new arrival in Hollywood, she was easy prey for the sharks in the movie business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

prey

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 shark Eleven people remain missing after an 89-hour search; several survivors suffered injuries consistent with shark bites. — Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026 While authorities have stressed the need to get Bukangi out to sea quickly, Kim said patience will be key, giving the shark time to adjust to the waters beyond the canal before venturing farther out. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Galibois said until then, he's been ordered to surrender his fishing license, not post any shark fishing videos to social media, and stay out of Massachusetts except for legal reasons. — Neal Riley, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 As summer wraps up and fall creeps in, the sharks return south. — Asia London Palomba, Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shark

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shark

Noun

The White House is now cracking down on these tariff dodgers.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Ukraine faces severe personnel shortages with around 200,000 military desertions and 2 million draft-dodgers, threatening its ability to sustain the war against Russia’s 2022 invasion.

— Kirsten Grieshaber, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026

Definition of dodger

Noun

Several outside experts agreed with him, calling the methods state-of-the-art.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Legal experts have echoed those concerns, noting that relying on the NVRA’s general preamble language to halt state election certification lacks precedent.

— Hugh Son, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of expert

Noun

Because the outcome of sporting events holds significance to the athlete, the brain doesn’t distinguish between the threat of letting a team down by allowing a game-losing goal and a predator in the wild.

— Jesse Granger, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2026
With few predators in these new habitats, a single fish can produce more than 2 million eggs a year.

— Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of predator

Noun

Nostalgia often feels like a cheat code to our hearts, but there's nothing wrong with that.

— Ian Stokes, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Nvidia brings a lot of gaming clout to the table, and game companies are already signing up to offer native anti-cheat and in-game support on Arm as a result.

— Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of cheat

Noun

The scholar Colin Burrow, discussing Helen Vendler recently, described the goal of criticism as telling other people how good something is.

— Lola Seaton, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026
Sabrina came from a high-status family of scholars, and Phillip, the struggling musician and child of butchers, wasn’t enough for her family.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of scholar

Noun

Many Orlando-area homes feature skeletons that tower over the neighborhood, witchy covens, horror movie icons, clowns, pirate ships, pumpkins, zombies and vampires.

— Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
It is nearly considered folkloric, with contemporary vampires still mirroring the characteristics of Polidori’s Ruthven.

— Maria Papadouris, JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of vampire

Noun

No one gets out of this world without becoming a master of the art of losing, to invoke the poet Elizabeth Bishop.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Supporting this remarkable local treasure offers a rare chance to experience authentic culinary artistry from a true master.

— Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of master

Noun

Composer and piano virtuoso Clara Schumann, whose influence on 19th-century classical music is impossible to quantify.

— Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
John Mayer is launching his own record label, Sob Rock Records, the singer-songwriter and guitar virtuoso confirmed Thursday, partnering with Universal Music Group’s Mercury Records for the new venture.

— Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of virtuoso

Browse Nearby Words

sharing (out)

shark

sharks

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Shark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shark. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of shark

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on shark

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

disparate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes