mercenary

noun
UK: /məːsɪnəri/
US: /mɜːrsəneri/

  1. A soldier who fights for any country or group that will pay them.

    1. He became a mercenary for money.
    2. The army hired mercenaries to increase its fighting power, because the regular army was short of soldiers.

  2. Someone whose actions are primarily driven by a desire for money or other reward, often without concern for morals or principles.

    1. The business deal showed his mercenary nature.
    2. Some people accuse athletes of being mercenary if they move to a different team for more money.

Synonyms

soldier of fortune avaricious hireling
mercenary adjective

  1. Primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics.

    1. It was a mercenary action to trick you.
    2. Critics described the film as a mercenary attempt to cash in on the success of the original movie.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "mercenary" in English means: A soldier who fights for any country or group that will pay them., Someone whose actions are primarily driven by a desire for money or other reward, often without concern for morals or principles..

The phonetic transcription of "mercenary" is /məːsɪnəri/ in British English and /mɜːrsəneri/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "mercenary": soldier of fortune, avaricious, hireling.

Example usage of "mercenary": "He became a mercenary for money.". More examples on the page.