cut-throat
Britishnoun
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a person who cuts throats; murderer
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US name: straight razor. Also called: cut-throat razor. a razor with a long blade that usually folds into the handle
adjective
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bloodthirsty or murderous; cruel
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fierce or relentless in competition
cut-throat prices
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(of some games) played by three people
cut-throat poker
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.
The cut-throat competition has fuelled a sprawling coaching industry where students spend years preparing, often at enormous financial cost for their families.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Instead, the person described what was often a gruelling work culture marked by frequent "crisis meetings", working on weekends, and "super cut-throat" performance reviews that would see colleagues suddenly let go.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 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
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
Definitions 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.
