cutthroat

1 of 2

noun

cut·​throat ˈkət-ˌthrōt How to pronounce cutthroat (audio)
1
2
: a cruel unprincipled person

cutthroat

2 of 2

adjective

1
2
: marked by unprincipled practices : ruthless
cutthroat competition
3
: characterized by each player playing independently rather than having a permanent partner
used especially of partnership games adapted for three players
cutthroat bridge

Examples of cutthroat in a Sentence

Noun while traveling the ancient Silk Road, traders were constant prey to cutthroats and thieves Adjective cutthroat business practices intended to drive competitors out of business
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The Italian contractors seem to have been perplexed by the cutthroat nature of New York City construction. Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025 But the best story of all was Maryanne, and watching this delightful goofball evolve into a cutthroat champion was truly thrilling, lifting Survivor 42 into the mid-twenties. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Tashi Duncan — the complicated, messy, yet consistent and clear-eyed, cutthroat, ruthless athlete — is the perfect role to show us what Zendaya is capable of. Kathleen Newman-Bremang, refinery29.com, 30 Dec. 2024 Another factor in the cutthroat Nantucket rental market is the community divide over short-term leases—which broadly boils down to the tension between overcrowding and traffic and being a hospitality town that depends on tourism. Hannah Seligson, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cutthroat 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cutthroat was in 1535

Dictionary Entries Near cutthroat

Cite this Entry

“Cutthroat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutthroat. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

cutthroat

1 of 2 noun
cut·​throat ˈkət-ˌthrōt How to pronounce cutthroat (audio)
1
: a person likely to cut someone's throat
2
: a cruel person with no scruples

cutthroat

2 of 2 adjective
: ruthless
cutthroat competition

More from Merriam-Webster on cutthroat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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