BOTTOM-FEEDERS Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

bottom-feeders

noun

plural of bottom-feeder

as in opportunists

one who does things only for his own benefit and with little regard for right and wrong that bottom-feeder would run over his own mother if it would help him get ahead in his career

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

altruists

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of bottom-feeders These sharks are thought to be bottom-feeders, preying on fish that frequent the floors of rivers and estuaries. — John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026 The Warriors already might be too far ahead in the standings to catch bottom-feeders like the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers in the race to maximize their draft-lottery odds. — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026 For nearly the first two decades of their existence, the New Orleans Saints were NFL bottom-feeders. — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025 Chicago is currently mired in a miserable seven-game losing streak, a confounding skid that includes defeats against NBA bottom-feeders like the New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, and Brooklyn Nets. — Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottom-feeders

Noun

As Collin presents the French side of the Occupation, the Parisians are either victims, black-market opportunists, or accomplices of one sort or another.

— David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
In Chicago, perpetrators are a mix of opportunists and more sophisticated networks often tied to street gangs.

— Kiel Porter, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of opportunists

Noun

The practice of cutting fins off live sharks and throwing the carcasses back into the sea is banned in much of the Pacific Ocean, but persists due to demand in East and Southeast Asia.

— CBS News, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
DeRisi told me how, a few years ago, there was a large die-off of leopard sharks in the San Francisco Bay.

— Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of sharks

Browse Nearby Words

bottom-feeder

bottom-feeders

bottomland

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bottom-feeders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottom-feeders. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bottom-feeders

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

recalcitrant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes