cutthroat

1 of 2

noun

cut·​throat ˈkət-ˌthrōt How to pronounce cutthroat (audio)
1
2
: a cruel unprincipled person

cutthroat

2 of 2

adjective

1
2
: marked by unprincipled practices : ruthless
cutthroat competition
3
: characterized by each player playing independently rather than having a permanent partner
used especially of partnership games adapted for three players
cutthroat bridge

Examples of cutthroat in a Sentence

Noun while traveling the ancient Silk Road, traders were constant prey to cutthroats and thieves Adjective cutthroat business practices intended to drive competitors out of business
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Since starting DoorDash on the campus of Stanford University in 2013, the now 40-year-old CEO has navigated the notoriously cutthroat and low-margin business of food delivery, building a company that Wall Street today values at close to $90 billion. Samantha Subin, CNBC, 31 May 2025 The film promises a tantalizing time but ultimately fails to deliver, as nothing that comes after that opening is as clean or cutthroat. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 28 May 2025
Adjective
Walmart’s buying team can be notoriously cutthroat, with a razor focus on squeezing suppliers on price. Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 The sybaritic highwayman Macheath maneuvers between a cutthroat capitalist milieu (Mr. and Mrs. Peachum) and a corrupt police force (led by Tiger Brown) while seducing daughters from both worlds (Polly Peachum and Lucy Brown). Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cutthroat

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cutthroat was in 1535

Cite this Entry

“Cutthroat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutthroat. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

cutthroat

1 of 2 noun
cut·​throat ˈkət-ˌthrōt How to pronounce cutthroat (audio)
1
: a person likely to cut someone's throat
2
: a cruel person with no scruples

cutthroat

2 of 2 adjective
: ruthless
cutthroat competition

More from Merriam-Webster on cutthroat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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