Mercenary
mediumNegative toneMUR-suh-ner-ee
adjective
Definition
motivated chiefly by a desire for money or personal gain
Memory hook
MERCENARY: think 'MERCH money' — a soldier who fights only for the MERCH and the cash, caring about pay, not principle.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
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.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“Critics dismissed his charity work as a ______ stunt to boost sales.”
Show answer
mercenary
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
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