predatory

American  

[pred-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / ˈprɛd əˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

adjective

1. Zoology. preying upon other organisms for food.

2. of, relating to, or characterized by plunder, pillage, or robbery, as in war.

   predatory tactics.

   Synonyms:

   rapacious

3. engaging in or living by these activities.

   predatory bands of brigands.

   Synonyms:

   rapacious

4. excessive or exploitative in amount or cost, as out of greed or to take advantage of consumers or patrons.

   predatory pricing.

5. 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.

6. acting with or possessed by overbearing, greedy, or selfish motives.

   He was cornered at the party by a predatory reporter.

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predatory British  

/ ˈprɛdətərɪ, -trɪ /

adjective

1. zoology another word for predacious

2. of, involving, or characterized by plundering, robbing, etc

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Other Word Forms

• nonpredatorily adverb
• nonpredatorilyness noun
• nonpredatory adjective
• predatorily adverb
• predatoriness noun
• unpredatory adjective

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.

Example Sentences

“I was just asking people to reckon the fact that this person has a reputation of being predatory and we’re looking at making him the governor of the fourth-largest economy in the world,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

In the past, market discipline hasn’t always been enough to prevent private student lenders from partnering with schools with poor outcomes to offer arguably predatory loans often to low-income students.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Some people will argue that it’s unfair he will likely get wiped away from the public sphere while other predatory men from the past and present largely maintain their riches and reputations.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

What was needed instead, she added, was for predatory men to modify their behaviour.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

He was remorseless, disillusioned, logical, predatory, fierce, pitiless—but his great jewel of an eye was that of a stricken deer, large, fearful, sensitive and full of griefs.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Related Words

• greedy
• marauding
• rapacious
• voracious