as in greedy
having or marked by an eager and often selfish desire especially for material possessions
they were a mercenary couple, who defined themselves not by what they were but by what they owned
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Recent Examples of mercenary
Camara was Mali’s defense minister, and is widely credited with bringing in Moscow’s mercenary Africa Corps to assist in battling the militia.
—
Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
No investment, then mercenary mode kicks in for many pros.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
The show saw the heroes combine their powers to fight off the mysterious mercenary cult known as The Hand.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 4 Apr. 2026
And mercenary pros could Benedict Arnold their former college teams by playing for a hated rival.
—Zach Przystup, Baltimore Sun, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mercenary
Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
No investment, then mercenary mode kicks in for many pros.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
The show saw the heroes combine their powers to fight off the mysterious mercenary cult known as The Hand.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 4 Apr. 2026
And mercenary pros could Benedict Arnold their former college teams by playing for a hated rival.
—Zach Przystup, Baltimore Sun, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mercenary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercenary
Adjective
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The main culprit for labor’s shrinking share of the economic pie is government policy, not greedy corporations.—
Scott Lincicome,
Washington Post,
11 May 2026
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Summers in Florida would not be so hot if lawmakers were not so greedy; developers not so persistent; if land and wildlife weren’t paved for roads, parking lots and housing developments.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Sometimes there’s an English language barrier, but everyone is patient and eager to make your stay memorable.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
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Joelle D'Alencar, the owner of the business, is eager to help new customers feel comfortable.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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Played by a Colman Domingo who is done up to look the most wax figurine of them all in a shellacking of makeup, prosthetics, and colored contacts, Joe is always either giving an avaricious open-mouthed leer or a cold-eyed glare.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2026
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There’s a quasi-heist theme to The Christophers, which revolves around an acclaimed artist (McKellen), who has long since stopped making new work, and his avaricious children (Gunning and Corden) who try to enlist Coel to complete some of their dad’s unfinished paintings.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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All this acquisitive activity has turned the majority of physicians into employees rather than independent operators.—
Sally Pipes,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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Looking back on his 27 years with the bank, Gentry said the timing, loopholes, tax strategies and negotiations that gave the business its acquisitive edge were not because of dumb luck.—
Chase Jordan
April 9,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mercenary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercenary. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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