predatory
Americanadjective
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Zoology. preying upon other organisms for food.
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of, relating to, or characterized by plunder, pillage, or robbery, as in war.
predatory tactics.
- Synonyms:
- rapacious
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engaging in or living by these activities.
predatory bands of brigands.
- Synonyms:
- rapacious
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excessive or exploitative in amount or cost, as out of greed or to take advantage of consumers or patrons.
predatory pricing.
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seeking to exploit, victimize, or prey on others.
More and more, senior citizens find themselves victims of predatory scams that rob them of their savings.
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acting with or possessed by overbearing, greedy, or selfish motives.
He was cornered at the party by a predatory reporter.
adjective
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zoology another word for predacious
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of, involving, or characterized by plundering, robbing, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of predatory
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin praedātōrius “plundering, marauding”; see origin at predator, -tory 1
Explanation
Predatory animals are those who kill and then eat — in other words, "prey on" — other animals. Hawks, lions, alligators, and human beings are all predatory animals. Predatory is also used when one party victimizes another for personal gain. For example, businesses are often accused of "predatory practices" when they take advantage of senior citizens, the uneducated, or people who simply don’t understand the specifics of the loan or insurance policy they're signing up for. This is why it’s important to read the fine print of business documents.
Vocabulary lists containing predatory
Holes
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And Then There Were None
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Where the Red Fern Grows
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When researchers dissected the plants, they discovered that a species of predatory wasp was using the hollow chambers for an entirely different purpose.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
An agent working for a consumer can also flag junk fees, catch unauthorized charges, decode fine print and steer its owner away from predatory products.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
In other words, sinister clowns and predatory sea hags are just silly legends until they’re actually trying to kill you.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
These giant computer campuses, which are mostly void of human beings, have become a focal point of the growing revolt against an increasingly predatory tech industry.
From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026
There were a few normal people as well, but they faded into insignificance next to the predatory forms moving gracefully through the halls.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
