predatory
adjective
pred·a·to·ry
ˈpre-də-ˌtȯr-ē 
1
a
: of, relating to, or practicing plunder or pillage
b
: inclined or intended to injure or exploit others for personal gain or profit
predatory pricing practices
2
: living by predation : predaceous
also
: adapted to predation
Synonyms of predatory
Examples of predatory in a Sentence
Hawks are predatory and may pose a danger to rabbits and other small pets.
The company made millions for investors but clearly engaged in predatory lending practices.
Recent Examples on the Web
By the time the iPhone 18 Pro is revealed, the $200 premium will no longer feel predatory—instead, consumers will regard it as a uniform response across the industry to prevailing market conditions.
—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2026
These platforms that drive comparison and isolation also feed predatory sports betting, exploitative content, and the kind of solitary scrolling that displaces sleep, friendship, and exercise.
—
Wes Moore,
STAT,
1 July 2026
At the same time, its flowers attract beneficial predatory insects, such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps, that naturally hunt harmful garden pests.
—
Sj McShane,
Martha Stewart,
30 June 2026
Years of insurgency and predatory armed gangs have devastated northern Nigeria, displacing millions.
—
Dyepkazah Shibayan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for predatory
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Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2026
These platforms that drive comparison and isolation also feed predatory sports betting, exploitative content, and the kind of solitary scrolling that displaces sleep, friendship, and exercise.
—
Wes Moore,
STAT,
1 July 2026
At the same time, its flowers attract beneficial predatory insects, such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps, that naturally hunt harmful garden pests.
—
Sj McShane,
Martha Stewart,
30 June 2026
Years of insurgency and predatory armed gangs have devastated northern Nigeria, displacing millions.
—
Dyepkazah Shibayan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for predatory
Cite this Entry
“Predatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predatory. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
predatory
adjective
pred·a·to·ry
ˈpred-ə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
1
: of, relating to, or marked by robbing or using others for personal gain
predatory raids
2
: living by predation
predatory animals
Legal Definition
predatory
adjective
pred·a·to·ry
ˈpre-də-ˌtōr-ē
1
: inclined or intended to injure competitors by unfair means
subject to antitrust liability for predatory conduct—National Law Journal
National Law Journalpredatory bidding
2
: inclined or intended to injure or exploit others for personal gain or profit
predatory loans
3
: of or relating to a sexual predator
predatory assault
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