Definition of "predacious" [predacious]

• Living by seizing or taking prey; predatory. (adjective)
• Given to victimizing, plundering, or destroying for one's own gain: "the most vicious, predacious, esurient and desperate elements of this society” ( Claude Brown). (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Not only the owl, but many other birds more familiarly known as predacious in their habits, are useful by destroying great numbers of mice and moles."
• "The United States has been among the worst of the meddlers: U.S. forces fought predacious warlords at the wrong time, backed some of the same predacious warlords at the wrong time, and consistently failed to appreciate the twin pulls of clan and religion."
• "Surely he could turn into something predacious or better."