profiteer

noun

prof·​i·​teer ˌprä-fə-ˈtir How to pronounce profiteer (audio)
: one who makes what is considered an unreasonable profit especially on the sale of essential goods during times of emergency
profiteer intransitive verb

Examples of profiteer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Criminals are looting the aid and profiteers are selling it at exorbitant prices. Claire Parker, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 The key chess piece is Paul Atreides, who is seeking some payback against those who killed his dad, villains who also happen to the oppressors and profiteers on the spice-rich Arrakis. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 Alexander Smirnov was, in many ways, the archetype of an informant operating in the shadowlands of the former Soviet Union — a profiteer, fixer and gossip who promoted his ability to make sense of a confusing landscape to American law enforcement agencies. Kenneth P. Vogel, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024 But as corporate profiteers take over end-of-life care in the U.S., the system is failing many people in their moment of greatest need. The Editors, Scientific American, 16 Jan. 2024 And that brings us to a linchpin of Kennedy’s efforts to change Cadiz’s image from water profiteer to responsible steward of a precious, and increasingly scarce, natural resource. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024 In the hours after his death, his name and likeness ricocheted around a dark corner of the internet, where profiteers using artificial intelligence tools capitalized on the anguish and desperation of the people who were mourning him. Stuart A. Thompson, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2024 Foreign governments, internet trolls, domestic and international extremists, opportunistic profiteers and even paid disinformation agencies exploit the internet to spread questionable content. H. Colleen Sinclair, The Conversation, 7 Dec. 2023 There’s Schindler himself, a Nazi and a war profiteer—and the reason hundreds of Jews survived the Holocaust. Emily Tamkin, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'profiteer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of profiteer was in 1912

Dictionary Entries Near profiteer

Cite this Entry

“Profiteer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profiteer. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

profiteer

noun
prof·​i·​teer ˌpräf-ə-ˈti(ə)r How to pronounce profiteer (audio)
: a person who makes an unfair profit especially on essential goods during an emergency
profiteer verb

Legal Definition

profiteer

noun
prof·​i·​teer ˌprä-fə-ˈtir How to pronounce profiteer (audio)
: one who makes an unreasonable profit especially on the sale of essential goods during times of emergency (as during wartime)
profiteer intransitive verb

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