Predatory (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey; "a predatory bird"; "the rapacious wolf"; "raptorial birds"; "ravening wolves"; "a vulturine taste for offal".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The hawks are known to be predatory birds that primarily feed on small mammals and reptiles.
- In some regions, sharks have developed a reputation as predatory marine creatures that pose a threat to humans.
- Crows are intelligent, predatory birds, often attacked and forced into messy, inelegant retreats by overconfident jays.
- Lions demonstrate a prime example of a predatory animal that mainly relies on its social structure to hunt effectively.
- Praying mantises are expert hunters, showcasing their stealthy and predatory nature by devouring their prey.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
Characterized by plundering or pillaging or marauding; "bands of marauding Indians"; "predatory warfare"; "a raiding party".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The company's predatory business practices led to the downfall of several smaller competitors in the industry.
- Historians often describe the Mongol invasions of Europe as an example of predatory warfare, where entire cities were pillaged and burned.
- The marauding tribe was known for its predatory behavior, often launching surprise attacks on unsuspecting travelers.
- The army's predatory tactics during the war sparked outrage among human rights activists worldwide.
- In some ecosystems, certain species are forced to adapt to avoid falling prey to the predatory behaviors of other animals.
Synonyms
Meaning 3
Living by or given to victimizing others for personal gain; "predatory capitalists"; "a predatory, insensate society in which innocence and decency can prove fatal"- Peter S. Prescott; "a predacious kind of animal--the early geological gangster"- W.E.Swinton.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The company was accused of having predatory business practices that targeted low-income communities with high-interest loans.
- A predator can be considered a predaceous animal or an individual who chooses to victimize others for personal gain.
- Historians often label the ruthless robber barons of the late 19th century as predatory capitalists who accumulated wealth at the expense of the working class.
- The politician's opponents criticized him for backing a predatory lending bill that would have devastating effects on many families.
- Some critics argue that payday lenders operate on essentially predatory models that take advantage of desperate borrowers.