apex predator

American  

[ey-peks pred-uh-ter, -tawr] / ˈeɪ pɛks ˈprɛd ə tər, -ˌtɔr /

noun

1. a carnivore that preys on other animals but has no natural predators of its own; the predator at the top of a particular food chain.

   Sharks fill an important ecological niche as apex predators, keeping the population of other species from exploding.

---

Etymology

Origin of apex predator

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

They also found many arthropods -- a family that includes modern-day crabs and insects -- including spiny, stalk-eyed creatures called radiodonts which were the apex predator of the time.

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

Their invention was like dropping a new apex predator into the investment habitat—an unfair fight.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

According to Voris, "This new species provides us the window into the ascent stage of Tyrannosaur evolution; right when they're transitioning from small predators to their apex predator form."

From Science Daily • Oct. 24, 2025

Hasan is like an apex predator when it comes to shredding bad‑faith, racist arguments.

From Slate • Jul. 29, 2025

Sharks had been swimming in the culture before that, to be sure, often with the prefix “man-eating” appended, though men eat sharks too, and way more often — so who’s the real apex predator?

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2025