# shark

/ˈʃɑɹk/ (US) · /ʃˈɑːk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shark
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. predatory fish

noun · CEFR A1

a large fish with very sharp teeth and a skeleton made of cartilage instead of bone.

For teachers: any predatory fish of the superorder Selachimorpha, characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton and multiple gill slits.

- The children were excited to see a great white shark at the aquarium.
- Marine biologists tracked the shark across the Pacific to better understand its migratory patterns and hunting grounds.

### 2. dishonest person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

someone who uses tricks or dishonest methods to get money from other people.

For teachers: a person who exploits others through trickery, usury, or extortion, often in a professional context.

- Be careful with that salesman; he is a total shark and will overcharge you.
- The neighborhood was wary of the loan sharks who preyed on families struggling to make ends meet during the recession.

### 3. expert or skilled person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a person who is very good at a specific activity, like a game or a sport.

For teachers: an individual who demonstrates exceptional skill or dominance in a particular field or competitive activity.

- Don't play cards with him unless you want to lose; he is a real pool shark.
- She became a corporate shark, quickly rising through the ranks by outmaneuvering her more experienced colleagues.

### 4. to exploit or trick

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic

to act in a dishonest way to get something from someone else.

For teachers: to obtain something through fraud or to practice trickery and shifts.

- In the old story, the thief tried to shark his way into the palace.
- The protagonist spent his youth sharking for a living among the docks, surviving on whatever he could steal or swindle.

## Examples

- The great white shark swims near the coast.
- Marine biologists tagged the shark to track its migration patterns across the Atlantic Ocean.
- Despite their reputation as apex predators, many shark species are currently threatened by overfishing and the loss of their natural habitats in coral reef ecosystems.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.