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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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 Without gainful employment rules or borrower defense, critics warn the door is reopened for predatory practices by low-quality institutions. Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025 Unlike predatory events, these interactions often lacked warning signals. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025 Florida’s legal reforms have saved consumers millions by cutting costs, specifically in the property and auto insurance sectors, while protecting small businesses from predatory legal practices. Michelle Smith, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 May 2025 However, China shows up offering false hope through predatory investments, infrastructure improvements, and deals on the spot. Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for predatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predatory
Adjective
  • In recent years, the rise of even less scrupulous and more rapacious influencer commentariat, with enormous YouTube and social followings, has further escalated the pressures celebrities face.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
  • The Mets could make that offer because the team is now owned by one of the richest men in the country, Steve Cohen, a hedge-fund billionaire with a reputation on Wall Street for being reclusive and rapacious.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Adjective
  • Nonprofits focused on such issues could be seen as antagonistic to the company’s aggressive commercialization efforts.
    Hayden Field, CNBC, 23 May 2025
  • The 82-year-old was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, the second most common cancer among men, with 1 in 8 being diagnosed in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.
    Sam Woodward, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Biological control: Parasitic wasps, predaceous beetles and birds assist in lowering sawfly populations.
    Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 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
Adjective
  • 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
  • Detailed testimonies of refugees along the Balkan route therefore challenge the conventional wisdom that officials tend to protect them from raptorial smugglers.
    Max Abrahms, Foreign Affairs, 22 Mar. 2017
Adjective
  • The only new name in 2025 is Dexter, which replaced Dorian, a deadly and destructive Category 5 hurricane that wreaked havoc in the Bahamas in 2019.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 May 2025
  • Rock jetties can be deadly in such conditions, stay off the rocks.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2025
Adjective
  • Iñárritu also used his Cannes visit as a soft launch for his next wild experiment, with Tom Cruise.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
  • From immersive fine dining in an aquarium to ziplining at the UAE’s highest peak, these 10 travel experiences showcase the country’s wild beauty, cultural richness and knack for world-class luxury for both first-time and frequent visitors.
    Natasha Amar, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • Police Chief Neil Noakes spent two decades in uniform, working to reduce violent crimes, support officers’ mental wellness, and strengthen trust in Fort Worth.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 May 2025
  • Yet the Brazilian proceeded to show how Pereira’s faith was misplaced, first with a stroppy performance at Chelsea that prompted his head coach to publicly criticise his body language and then with his second violent meltdown of the season, against Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez in the FA Cup.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Adjective
  • She and her fellow hybrids are sent to investigate the site, leading to the encounter of mysterious life forms — including one ferocious Xenomorph.
    Nick Romano, EW.com, 23 May 2025
  • Both general elections are expected to be competitive, but only the New Jersey Democratic primary has featured ferocious competition out of the four party primaries.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 19 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Predatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predatory. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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