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mercenary Synonyms

Another word for mercenary

Choosing another word for mercenary depends on context, so the 20 synonyms and similar words below are separated across 4 exact definitions and ranked by match strength.
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• noun (Context 1)

A professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army, distinct from troops formally enlisted by a sovereign state.

Usage Example

"The multinational corporation allegedly employed mercenaries to protect its overseas mining operations."

Strongest
soldier of fortune
Strong
hired gun
sellsword
freebooter

• adjective (Context 2)

Primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics or personal integrity.

Usage Example

"His motives for marrying into the prominent family were purely venal."

Strongest
venal
Strong
avaricious
money-grubbing
covetous
greedy
acquisitive
grasping
rapacious
cupiditous
materialistic

• adjective (Context 3)

Relating to or acting as a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army.

Usage Example

"The regime attempted to crush the uprising by deploying stipendiary troops across the southern provinces."

Strong
stipendiary

• noun (Context 4)

A person who acts primarily for personal or financial gain, often demonstrating a lack of ethical constraints.

Usage Example

"Critics dismissed the political consultant as a mere hireling willing to work for whichever candidate offered the highest fee."

Strongest
hireling
Strong
hack
opportunist
profiteer
sellout

Opposites of mercenary

The opposite of mercenary shifts depending on context. Common opposites include:

altruistic
selfless
altruist
volunteer
unselfish
generous
philanthropist
charitable
See all opposites of mercenary

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Synonyms for Mercenary. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/synonyms/mercenary
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