Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Predatory
adjective
/ PRED-uh-tor-ee /
Medium
Meaning
Seeking to exploit, harm, or take advantage of others, especially the vulnerable; used in economics to describe business practices that unfairly eliminate competition, and in geopolitics to describe exploitative financing or lending.
Origin / Etymology
From Latin praedatorius, from praedator (plunderer), from praeda (prey or booty). The economic usage emerged in 20th-century antitrust law.
Synonyms
Exploitative
Aggressive
Rapacious
Extractive
Antonyms
Protective
Benign
Equitable
Example Sentence
"The Competition Commission of India investigated allegations of predatory pricing by a dominant e-commerce platform that was selling below cost to drive out smaller rivals."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Critical in Economy answers on competition law, monopolies, and market regulation. In IR, 'predatory lending' is used to critique China's Belt and Road Initiative debt diplomacy. In social issues context, 'predatory practices' describes exploitation of marginalised communities by money-lenders.
Relevant Subjects