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Synonyms

shark

1 American  
[shahrk] / ʃɑrk /

noun

  1. any of a group of elongate elasmobranch, mostly marine fishes, certain species of which are large, voracious, and sometimes dangerous to humans.

idioms

  1. jump the shark, to begin a decline in quality, popularity, relevance, etc., after reaching a peak.

    Some TV shows have jumped the shark once a popular cast member left the show.
shark 2 American  
[shahrk] / ʃɑrk /

noun

  1. a person who preys greedily on others, as by cheating or usury.

  2. Informal. a person who has unusual ability in a particular field.

verb (used with object)

  1. Archaic. to obtain by trickery or fraud; steal.

verb (used without object)

  1. Archaic. to live by shifts and stratagems.

shark 1 British  
/ ʃɑːk /

noun

  1. a person who preys on or victimizes others, esp by swindling or extortion

"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

verb

  1. archaic to obtain (something) by cheating or deception

"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
shark 2 British  
/ ʃɑːk /

noun

  1. any of various usually ferocious selachian fishes, typically marine with a long body, two dorsal fins, rows of sharp teeth, and between five and seven gill slits on each side of the head

"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

Other Word Forms

  • sharklike adjective

Etymology

Origin of shark1

First recorded in 1560–70; origin uncertain

Origin of shark2

1590–1600; < German dialect Schork, variant of Schurke rascal

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.

But California stood out in another way: It had the nation’s only unprovoked fatal shark attack in 2025.

From Los Angeles Times

Half a dead shark had washed up in the tide.

From Literature

He is a survivor, though, he’s a shark.

From Los Angeles Times

"We need to teach them about risks, like algorithmic rips. We need to teach them about predators in the water. It's sharks online, it's paedophiles and other scammers."

From BBC

She didn’t bother to look up from the book on sharks she was reading.

From Literature

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.