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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.

“These companies, they’re like a shark, they have to keep moving,” said Christopher Whalen of the credit-markets research and advisory firm Whalen Global Advisors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

But most importantly, he noted, shark bites are rare in California — especially considering the number of people who are swimming, surfing, kayaking or otherwise enjoying the ocean at any time.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

The study appears in the journal Animal Behaviour under the title: "Rolling in the deep: drivers of social preferences and social interactions within a bull shark aggregation in Fiji."

From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026

Meanwhile, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, the Labour MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill, compared the terms of student loans "to something that a loan shark would offer".

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

And when the old Cadillac pulls into our driveway, longer than a pontoon boat, with bigger fins than a great white shark, Mom and I run down to greet them.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

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.