loan shark

noun

: one who lends money to individuals at exorbitant rates of interest

Examples of loan shark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That includes not just dispersing the cast, but shocking the audience with twists that seem outside the series’ purview, like when trader Rishi’s (Sagar Radia) loan shark suddenly shoots his wife in the head, instantly killing her. Alison Herman, Variety, 30 Sep. 2024 Add into the equation a mother who’s on the run from loan sharks because of gambling debt, a beloved pug that gets kidnapped as collateral, a decades-long rift and a secret that finally gets revealed. Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 13 Aug. 2024 Films like Rounders, where Matt Damon’s character plays underground poker games to help his friend repay a loan shark, elevated the game in popular culture. Nicole Narea, Vox, 15 July 2024 Unable to pay up, the loan shark takes Kril’s shell as collateral, sending this otherwise conflict-averse crustacean into the open ocean to retrieve it. Tim Brinkhof, Vulture, 5 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for loan shark 

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of loan shark was in 1905

Dictionary Entries Near loan shark

Cite this Entry

“Loan shark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loan%20shark. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

loan shark

noun
: a person who lends money at very high rates of interest
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