as in rapacious
living by killing and eating other animals
hawks are predatory and pose a danger to rabbits and other pets
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Recent Examples of predatory
If anything, his regime grew more predatory, more rapacious, more violent in the past few years.
—
Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
At the time, wolves were still considered predatory varmints to be shot from airplanes, trapped and snared for $100 bounty and whatever hides would bring.
—Al Wolter, Outdoor Life, 10 Jan. 2025
Still, many houses want to avoid the perception of either working with packagers or packaging themselves, so as to attract prestigious authors and dodge accusations of predatory contracts.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
China has been absolutely predatory in just about every dimension.
—CBS News, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for predatory 
Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
At the time, wolves were still considered predatory varmints to be shot from airplanes, trapped and snared for $100 bounty and whatever hides would bring.
—Al Wolter, Outdoor Life, 10 Jan. 2025
Still, many houses want to avoid the perception of either working with packagers or packaging themselves, so as to attract prestigious authors and dodge accusations of predatory contracts.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
China has been absolutely predatory in just about every dimension.
—CBS News, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for predatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predatory
Adjective
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Be realistic, however: Talk such as Trump’s could be very useful to those expansionist, rapacious tyrants.—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
15 Jan. 2025
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The 2012 campaign was marked by an early effort by Democrats to tar Mr. Romney as an insensitive, rapacious businessman willing to send jobs overseas.—
Jonathan Weisman,
New York Times,
4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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With how aggressive Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has been on fourth down, Fangio has to treat third down like second down.—
Ted Nguyen,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
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An aggressive exterior, with more aero and venting, hints at the performance potential within.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Look for and conserve natural enemies such as predaceous bugs, lacewings, lady beetles, and syrphids.—
The San Diego Union Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Jan. 2025
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Biden officials are offering up to 30,000 migrants per month a two-year permit to live and work in the United States under the terms of the program, and say such legal pathways are successfully steering migrants toward a safer and more orderly option than the one offered by predacious smugglers.—
Nick Miroff,
Anchorage Daily News,
1 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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Detailed testimonies of refugees along the Balkan route therefore challenge the conventional wisdom that officials tend to protect them from raptorial smugglers.—
Max Abrahms,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Mar. 2017
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Damsel bugs are slender and tan-colored and have slightly raptorial front legs.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 July 2023
Adjective
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Heading into his late 30s, Lil Joe has been a road warrior in an astonishing and sometimes harrowing life’s journey, gaining considerable recognition among his kind, which in the wild is having a tough time these days with Florida’s deadly waters.—
Kevin Spear,
Orlando Sentinel,
19 Jan. 2025
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Those feats, economists say, are even more impressive considering the nation was deep in the throes of a deadly, economy-scarring pandemic when Biden took office.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The South is being targeted by a major winter storm, most of the nation remains gripped by brutal cold, and high winds threaten to fan the flames of killer blazes in Southern California on Tuesday as the U.S. grapples with wild winter weather.—
John Bacon,
USA TODAY,
21 Jan. 2025
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Targets Birthright Citizenship Her first foster pair of bald eagle chicks arrived in 1976, having been removed from their wild parents’ nest in Wisconsin.—
GrrlScientist,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Follow more of our reporting on Deadly Dose Crime One Kansas police force’s approach to fighting fentanyl is driving down violent crime November 30, 2023 6:10 AM Government & Politics Missouri lawmakers push new charges for fentanyl dealers.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
16 Jan. 2025
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The prospect of requiring harsher penalties for pot possession than most violent crimes gave some Republicans pause at the wide-ranging hearing, which lasted for more than two hours.—
Ian Max Stevenson,
Idaho Statesman,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Defensive standouts Bruce Smith and Derrick Thomas were ferocious competitors.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
23 Jan. 2025
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The latter, which begins at Second and Market Streets, circles Union Square and ends at Kearny Street and Columbus Ave., includes floats, ferocious lions, firecrackers and a 288-foot long Golden Dragon.—
Jackie Burrell,
The Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near predatory
Cite this Entry
“Predatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predatory. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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