Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

cut-throat

British  

noun

  1. a person who cuts throats; murderer

  2. US name: straight razor. Also called: cut-throat razor. a razor with a long blade that usually folds into the handle

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. bloodthirsty or murderous; cruel

  2. fierce or relentless in competition

    cut-throat prices

  3. (of some games) played by three people

    cut-throat poker

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

See Examples For:

Geraint Anderson, a former London banker-turned author, said he was assessed by a clinical psychologist who told him he may have had "situational psychopathy" in order to succeed in the cut-throat corporate world.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Pressure to cut costs has intensified as Chinese brands have sought to export their way out of cut-throat competition at home, threatening European carmakers on their home turf.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

After many high-profile corporate customers complained about the high fees attached to AI models, OpenAI is considering discounting its services as competition with Anthropic gets cut-throat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

On the other side are Gen Z and young millennials, born a couple of decades later, who face soaring house prices and cut-throat competition in the job market.

From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2026

He closed the cut-throat razor, put it down on the side of the sink, dabbed at his tiny cut with a toilet paper swab.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training