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 WebRyan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2024
Reportedly, Wagner mercenaries, the Kremlin’s private army, have been allowed by Niger to take over a hangar and conduct operations on the same Airbase 101, in the capital, Niamey, which houses U.S. forces.
—Paul Tilsley, Fox News, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for mercenary 
Noun
The project is still in early development and is planned as a new take on the character that originated in a French comic series from Jean-Claude Forest.
Barbarella, a mercenary who travels the universe, was portrayed by Jane Fonda in a 1968 movie version that has become a cult favorite.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2024
Reportedly, Wagner mercenaries, the Kremlin’s private army, have been allowed by Niger to take over a hangar and conduct operations on the same Airbase 101, in the capital, Niamey, which houses U.S. forces.
—Paul Tilsley, Fox News, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for mercenary
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mercenary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mercenary
Cite this Entry
“Mercenary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercenary. Accessed 18 May. 2024.
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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