Synonyms for rapacious
- adjective
Most common
greedy predatory voracious avaricious extortionate predaceous plunderous
All synonyms
Adjective
1. Predatory — voracious; avaricious
predatory, avaricious, voracious, greedy, ravenous, covetous, money-hungry informal, acquisitive, ravening, savage, insatiable, gluttonous, ferocious, grasping, wolfish, miserly, sordid, exacting, raptorial, edacious formal, esurient, piggish
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Voracious; avaricious.
Related words
- Word family
- rapaciousness rapacity
Choose the right word
The rapacious have the robber instinct, and put it in practise in some form, as far as they dare. The avaricious and rapacious are ready to reach out for gain; the parsimonious, miserly, and niggardly prefer the safer and less adventurous way of avoiding expenditure.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- greedy Don't be so greedy or you'll wind up with nothing.
- predatory Minors deserve protection from predatory behaviors.
- voracious Piranhas are big, voracious fish with sharp teeth.
- avaricious Mr. Jackson is an avaricious old man.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| rapacious | rising | |
| greedy | rising | |
| predatory | rising | |
| voracious | rising | |
| avaricious | steady | |
| extortionate | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 6 letters
- savage2, greedy2, sordid2
- 7 letters
- miserly3, wolfish, piggish
- 8 letters
- grasping2, exacting3, ravenous3, covetous, ravening, edacious, esurient
- 9 letters
- predatory4, ferocious3, voracious3, raptorial4
- 10 letters
- insatiable4, gluttonous3, avaricious, predaceous3, plunderous
- 11 letters
- acquisitive4
- 12 letters
- extortionate4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (savage2 = 2 syllables).