cutthroat

1 of 2

noun

cut·​throat ˈkət-ˌthrōt How to pronounce cutthroat (audio)
Synonyms of cutthroatnext
1
: killer, murderer
2
: a cruel unprincipled person

cutthroat

2 of 2

adjective

1
: murderous, cruel
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

Synonyms of cutthroat

Relevance

Noun

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
Grizzly bears sustained by seasonal cutthroat turned to elk calves for precious calories, according to research by ecologist Arthur Middleton, an associate professor at UC Berkeley. — Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 23 Sep. 2026 Fly-fishers will find an extensive stretch of Gold Medal Water (a designation for quality and trout density) in Colorado, with access to browns, brookies, cutthroats, and rainbow trout. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 20 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The 2,444-acre reservoir is home to trophy-sized cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout, as well as northern pike. — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026 Symbioz Films has boarded sales on Swiss Turkish director Ufuk Emiroglu’s debut fiction feature Sevda, set against the backdrop of Istanbul’s cutthroat real estate world, and released a trailer. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cutthroat

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cutthroat was in 1535

Phrases Containing cutthroat

Rhymes for cutthroat

See All Rhymes for cutthroat

Browse Nearby Words

cut the mustard
cutthroat
cutthroat contract
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cutthroat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutthroat. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All