cutthroat
/'kʌtθrout/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Ruthless in competition; fierce and merciless: Describes a situation, activity, or person characterized by extreme and often unfair competitiveness, where opponents are willing to harm each other to succeed.
- Involving or given to cutting throats: Literally relating to the act of cutting someone's throat.
Noun:
- A murderer who kills by cutting the victim's throat: A person who commits murder using this specific, violent method.
- A ruthless, unscrupulous, or fiercely competitive person: Used figuratively to describe someone who acts without principles to get ahead.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- The industry is known for its cutthroat business practices.
- They faced cutthroat competition from larger companies.
Noun:
- The historical novel featured a pirate who was a notorious cutthroat.
- In the world of high finance, he was considered a real cutthroat.
Advanced Usage
- "cutthroat world/industry/environment": A common collocation describing a sector or context known for extreme, often unethical, competition.
- She thrived in the cutthroat world of politics.
Variants and Related Words
- Cutthroat razor: (noun) An old-fashioned, open-blade razor used for shaving.
- He collects antique cutthroat razors.
Synonyms
- Adjective: Ruthless, fierce, merciless, dog-eat-dog, vicious, brutal.
- Noun: Murderer, assassin, killer; (figuratively) shark, predator.
Related Phrases
- "cutthroat pricing": A business strategy of setting prices so low that competitors are driven out of the market.
- The new store engaged in cutthroat pricing to capture market share.
Adjective
- ruthless in competition
- cutthroat competition
- bowelless readiness to take advantage
Noun
- someone who murders by cutting the victim's throat