Mercenary
mediumMUR-suh-ner-ee
adjective
Definition
motivated chiefly by a desire for money or personal gain
Examples
“Critics dismissed his charity work as a mercenary stunt to boost sales.”
“Her mercenary attitude toward friendship meant she only called when she needed a favor.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Mercenary is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "greedy" or "grasping" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "altruistic".
Related GRE Words
condone
to overlook, forgive, or tacitly approve of an offense
fawn
to flatter or seek favor through servile behavior
presumptuous
overstepping proper bounds; arrogantly bold
reprehensible
deserving of strong condemnation or blame
boorish
rude, ill-mannered, and insensitive
bootlicker
A person who behaves obsequiously to gain favor; a sycophant
Master mercenary and 1,000+ GRE words
Learn through stories, practice with real GRE questions, and never forget with spaced repetition.