mercenary
/ˈmɜː.sən.ri/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɝː.sən.ri/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmər-sə-ˌner-ē -ne-rē/ (ame, mw) · /ˈmɜːsənəri/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɜːrsəneri/ (ame, ipa)
mercenary — adjective
- mercenarypositive
- more mercenarycomparative
- most mercenarysuperlative
1. caring mainly about money or what you can personally gain, rather than about hon
caring mainly about money or what you can personally gain, rather than about honest work, friendship, or doing what is right
Dario's mercenary attitude toward his elderly aunt shocked the rest of the family.
mercenary + attitude (toward someone)
Critics accused the new manager of mercenary motives after she sold the company's beloved bookshop.
mercenary + motives in business contexts
The lawyer chose to defend wealthy clients only, a decision many colleagues called purely mercenary.
Nkechi refused to take the higher-paying job, saying it would feel too mercenary.
There was nothing mercenary about Reuben's gift; he simply wanted his neighbour to feel welcome.
- greedy
more general; covers food, attention, and money — not only the money-for-action framing
- venal
very formal; suggests willingness to be bribed in an official role
- money-grubbing
informal and harsher; emphasises the chasing behaviour
- self-seeking
broader; covers any selfish goal, not only money
- altruistic
motivated by the welfare of others
- selfless
putting others' needs first
- idealistic
guided by principles rather than personal gain
文法句型
mercenary + noun
be + mercenary
用法筆記
Almost always carries a disapproving tone. Typically used by an outside observer judging another person's motives — speakers rarely describe themselves as mercenary.
常見錯誤
2. describing soldiers, troops, or armies that are paid to fight on behalf of a cou
describing soldiers, troops, or armies that are paid to fight on behalf of a country or group that is not their own
The king relied on mercenary troops from across the mountains to defend his weakening throne.
mercenary + troops (military context)
A small mercenary force was reportedly guarding the diamond mines in the disputed region.
mercenary + force (guarding role)
Daichi's history teacher explained how mercenary soldiers shaped many wars in medieval Europe.
The reporter interviewed a former mercenary commander who once led units in three different conflicts.
- national
fighting for one's own country
- volunteer
serving without pay
- conscripted
forced into service by law, not hired for money
文法句型
mercenary + soldier/army/force
用法筆記
Almost always attributive — placed before nouns like 'soldier', 'army', 'force', 'commander'. Distinguish from sense 1 (which is about anyone driven by money): this sense specifically describes military personnel hired by a foreign side.
常見錯誤
mercenary — noun
- mercenarysingular
- mercenariesplural
1. a soldier who takes payment to fight for whichever country, company, or group is
a soldier who takes payment to fight for whichever country, company, or group is willing to hire them, regardless of personal loyalty
Vinícius wrote a novel about a young mercenary who started questioning his paid missions.
a mercenary (countable, indefinite article)
Several mercenaries were reportedly hired to protect the foreign embassy during the riots.
mercenaries + hired to + infinitive
After leaving the army, Talia briefly worked as a mercenary in West Africa.
The documentary followed a group of mercenaries guarding oil fields in the desert.
Throughout the 1500s, Swiss mercenaries fought in nearly every major European conflict.
- soldier of fortune
literary; emphasises adventure-seeking as well as money
- hired gun
informal; often used metaphorically of any paid professional doing dirty work
- freelancer
general modern term; only military when context makes it clear
文法句型
a mercenary
mercenaries (plural)
用法筆記
Sometimes extended metaphorically to professionals (lawyers, athletes, consultants) who switch sides for money. The military sense remains the core meaning; the figurative use almost always carries criticism.