mer·ce·nary
ˈmər-sə-ˌner-ē 
-ne-rē
plural mercenaries
: one that serves merely for wages
especially
: a soldier hired into foreign service
mercenaries who guaranteed the success of the rebellion —
B. F. Reilly
B. F. Reilly 2
: hired for service in the army of a foreign country
Synonyms
Examples of mercenary in a Sentence
Noun
an army of foreign mercenaries
Adjective
His motives in choosing a career were purely mercenary.
they were a mercenary couple, who defined themselves not by what they were but by what they owned
Recent Examples on the Web
Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
Additionally, soldiers from Russia’s Africa Corps, the former Wagner Group's private army of mercenaries, have been seen in Goma, propping up the DRC’s soldiers against the M23.
—Paul Tilsley, Fox News, 31 Jan. 2025
Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2025
The conference — which draws child abuse pediatricians, social workers, police and prosecutors — featured multiple presentations that cast doctors who testify for the defense as both ill-informed and mercenary.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mercenary 
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Noun
This will include recruiting mercenaries and migrants to offset losses on the front line where Russian forces are making slow gains but at a considerable cost in personnel.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
Additionally, soldiers from Russia’s Africa Corps, the former Wagner Group's private army of mercenaries, have been seen in Goma, propping up the DRC’s soldiers against the M23.
—Paul Tilsley, Fox News, 31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
In September 2024, Maduro announced the arrest of five Americans during a crackdown launched by Venezuela’s socialist regime to dismantle what the government claims is a mercenary force assembled by the CIA and Spain’s intelligence service to topple Maduro.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2025
The conference — which draws child abuse pediatricians, social workers, police and prosecutors — featured multiple presentations that cast doctors who testify for the defense as both ill-informed and mercenary.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mercenary
Dictionary Entries Near mercenary
Cite this Entry
“Mercenary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercenary. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mercenary
1 of 2 noun
mer·ce·nary
ˈmərs-ᵊn-ˌer-ē
plural mercenaries
: one that serves only for wages
especially
: a soldier hired by a foreign country to fight in its army
mercenary
2 of 2 adjective1
: serving only for the pay or reward
mercenary armies
mercenary soldier
2
: greedy for money
mercenary business owners
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