ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cutthroat

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈkətˌθɹoʊt// UK //kˈʌtθɹəʊt// cut·throat

adj. describing a situation where people are very competitive and willing to do anything to win, even if it hurts others. It often feels like a 'cutthroat' environment where you have to be the best to survive.

adj. characterised by extreme competition and a willingness to use ruthless or dishonest tactics to achieve success. Often used to describe professional environments or markets where survival depends on outperforming others.


SIMPLE

The tech industry is a cutthroat place to work.

CONTEXTUAL

In a cutthroat market, companies often lower their prices to the point where they barely make a profit.

COMPLEX

The cutthroat nature of the publishing world means that even established authors must constantly produce high-quality work to maintain their visibility and sales.

Synonyms
Origin

From cut + throat.

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