vulture
Bald-headed scavenger
A vulture is a large bird that feeds on carrion—the flesh of dead animals.
Vultures circle high in the sky, watching for carcasses below.
The word extends to people who prey on the vulnerable or profit from others' misfortune: Vultures descended on the estate sale before the body was cold.
A vulture capitalist buys distressed companies to strip their assets.
Putrefying animal remains
- carcassSlaughtered animal's body
- roadkillVehicle-struck animal remains
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- decompositionBreakdown into simpler parts
remains · corpse · cadaver · offal · putrid · stench · forager · opportunistic
One exploiting circumstances
- exploiterOne who uses unfairly
- parasiteOne exploiting a host
- profiteerOne exploiting shortages
- leechBlood-feeding aquatic worm
bloodsucker · ambulance chaser · loan shark · slumlord · corporate raider · bottom-feeder · predatory lending · price gouging
Warm air columns
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- circlingMoving around a center
- updraftUpward air movement
- wingspanTip-to-tip extent
altitude · aerial · drift · hover · airborne · kettle · wake · effortless
Hunting bird with talons
- feathersBird's lightweight covering
- beakHorny avian mouthpart
- talonsHooked bird claws
- wingspanTip-to-tip extent
plumage · roosting · nesting · flock · ornithology · birdwatching · aviary · habitat
Fearful anticipation of harm
- menacingConveying threat or danger
- deathCessation of life
- doomUnavoidable grim fate
- portentousOminously significant
sinister · macabre · grim · eerie · haunting · morbid · dreadful · waiting
Excessively wanting more
- heartlessLacking pity or mercy
- ruthlessLacking any compassion
- cold-bloodedUnfeeling or externally heated
- mercenarySoldier fighting for pay
rapacious · unscrupulous · shameless · ghoul · bloodsucking
carrion
Putrefying animal remains
decomposition · remains · corpse · cadaver · offal · putrid · stench · forager · opportunistic · detritivore
opportunist
One exploiting circumstances
leech · bloodsucker · ambulance chaser · loan shark · slumlord · corporate raider · bottom-feeder · predatory lending · price gouging · war profiteer
thermals
Warm air columns
wingspan · altitude · aerial · drift · hover · airborne · kettle · wake · effortless · surveillance
raptor
Hunting bird with talons
wingspan · plumage · roosting · nesting · flock · ornithology · birdwatching · aviary · habitat · endangered
foreboding
Fearful anticipation of harm
portentous · sinister · macabre · grim · eerie · haunting · morbid · dreadful · waiting · omen
greedy
Excessively wanting more
- heartlessLacking pity or mercy
- ruthlessLacking any compassion
- cold-bloodedUnfeeling or externally heated
mercenary · rapacious · unscrupulous · shameless · ghoul · bloodsucking
- birdsrobin, crow, eagle, owl, duck
- V-wordsvacuum, valley, value, vampire, van
- African savannaacacia, acacia tree, baobab, baobab tree, cheetah
- African wildlifeelephant, African elephant, lion, hippo, elephants
- bipedshuman, kangaroo, ostrich, emu, penguin
- birds of preybald eagle, golden eagle, hawk, falcon, kestrel
vulturebenefactor
One who gives aid
protector · guardian · philanthropist · nurturer · caregiver
vulturepollinator
Pollen-transferring organism
producer · bee · creator · life-giver · hummingbird
- culture vultureEager consumer of arts
- turkey vultureNorth American carrion-eating raptor
- vulture capitalistInvestor exploiting failing businesses
- black vultureDark New World scavenger bird
- vulture capitalismExploiting dying businesses
- king vulturesLarge colorful New World scavenger
vultures, vulturing, culture vulture, vulturous, vulturelike, vulture-like