loan shark
Illegal high-interest lender
A loan shark lends money at exorbitant interest rates, typically outside legal channels.
The term implies predatory practices—targeting desperate borrowers, using intimidation or violence to collect debts.
He owed money to a loan shark and was terrified of what would happen if he couldn't pay.
The verb is loan-shark or shark.
One who takes temporarily
- repaymentGiving back what's owed
- defaultPreset standard option
- principalChief school administrator
- interestAttention, stake, or fee
installment · overdue · arrears · delinquency · creditor · debtor · vig · vigorish
Declarations of intended harm
- enforcerOne who ensures compliance
- muscleContractile body tissue
- extortionObtaining through threats
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
violence · fear · pressure · shakedown · retribution · punishment · duress · menace
Below ground or countercultural
- black marketIllicit trading system
- unlicensedWithout official permit
- criminalPerson who breaks laws
- unregulatedNot controlled by rules
racketeer · clandestine · illicit · contraband · syndicate · organized crime · front business · untraceable
Organized crime member
- gangsterCriminal organization member
- mafiaCriminal organization using intimidation
- thugViolent criminal
- goonEnforcer or simpleton
syndicate · crime boss · capo · wiseguy · outfit · family · yakuza · triad
Unreasonably high, as costs
- extortionateUnreasonably high in cost
- predatoryExploiting the vulnerable
- gougingExploitative overpricing
- exploitativeUnfairly using others' vulnerabilities
excessive · sky-high · prohibitive · astronomical · punitive · compounding · APR · rate
borrower
One who takes temporarily
interest · installment · overdue · arrears · delinquency · creditor · debtor · vig · vigorish · juice
threats
Declarations of intended harm
intimidation · violence · fear · pressure · shakedown · retribution · punishment · duress · menace · blackmail
underground
Below ground or countercultural
- black marketIllicit trading system
- unlicensedWithout official permit
- criminalPerson who breaks laws
unregulated · racketeer · clandestine · illicit · contraband · syndicate · organized crime · front business · untraceable · off-the-books
mobster
Organized crime member
- gangsterCriminal organization member
- mafiaCriminal organization using intimidation
- thugViolent criminal
goon · syndicate · crime boss · capo · wiseguy · outfit · family · yakuza · triad · cartel
exorbitant
Unreasonably high, as costs
- extortionateUnreasonably high in cost
- predatoryExploiting the vulnerable
- gougingExploitative overpricing
exploitative · excessive · sky-high · prohibitive · astronomical · punitive · compounding · APR · rate · percentage
desperate
Driven by urgent need
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- trappedUnable to escape
- exploitedUnfairly utilized for benefit
indebted · squeezed · harassed · threatened · ruined · bankrupt · fearful · helpless · targeted · in over their head
- loan sharksshylock, vig, vigorish, juice, usury
- debtdebt, creditor, owe, debtor, lender
- loanslend, borrow, borrower, lender, microloan
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse
- Crookscrook, swindler, fraudster, embezzler, con artist
- money jokesbroke jokes, poor jokes, stock jokes, bubble burst, bull market
loan sharkcredit union
Member-owned financial cooperative
commercial bank · savings and loan · community bank · building society · mortgage company
loan sharkbenefactor
One who gives aid
borrower · philanthropist · charitable donor · patron · angel investor
loan, shark, sharks, loaned, loans, loaning, loaner, sharked, sharkskin