1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the ferocious appetite that athletic teenagers have been known to display
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2
as in fierce
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
ferocious forest fires threatened to destroy hundreds of homes in the scrubland
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3
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
the animal is known as a ferocious predator
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4
as in frantic
marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity
after a day of ferocious up-and-down trading, the stock market ended up down 300 points
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ferocious
The conviction of the man, Hadi Matar, 27, followed harrowing testimony from Mr. Rushdie, 77, who said he had been struck by his attacker’s dark, ferocious eyes.
—
Lola Fadulu, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
In those six days following his injury, Antetokounmpo, famous for his ferocious focus and work ethic, bent NBA history to his will, cementing his legacy as one of basketball’s all-time greats.
—Eric Nehm, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
Jones, still vigorous at seventy-two, moves through space with ferocious intent while conjuring stories from the past: early dance sensations, tense interactions with the legendary Ailey, and clashes with critics who tried to box him in as a Black artist.
—Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Friction point: Community groups like the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Franklin Park Defenders have been ferocious in opposing the revamp, questioning the cost, traffic and the loss of a public asset to a private interest.
—Mike Deehan, Axios, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ferocious
Lola Fadulu, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
In those six days following his injury, Antetokounmpo, famous for his ferocious focus and work ethic, bent NBA history to his will, cementing his legacy as one of basketball’s all-time greats.
—Eric Nehm, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
Jones, still vigorous at seventy-two, moves through space with ferocious intent while conjuring stories from the past: early dance sensations, tense interactions with the legendary Ailey, and clashes with critics who tried to box him in as a Black artist.
—Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Friction point: Community groups like the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Franklin Park Defenders have been ferocious in opposing the revamp, questioning the cost, traffic and the loss of a public asset to a private interest.
—Mike Deehan, Axios, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ferocious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ferocious
Adjective
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This film transitions between moments of intense governmental and political drama, and moments of sympathetic, emotional anguish with the Hernandez family.—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
8 Mar. 2025
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The intense gravitational pull from the black hole rips the two stars apart, capturing one star into a close orbit around it, notes the center.—
Bruce Dorminey,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The bill has been met with both fierce opposition and staunch support from students, professors and community members across the state.—
Amanda McCard,
Hartford Courant,
8 Mar. 2025
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With Zverev looking to cement his dominance, Alcaraz aiming for a repeat title, and Fritz eager to defend home soil, the competition will be fierce from day one.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin stopped three shots during a pair of frantic pileups in the crease before New York won a faceoff and Simon Holmstrom scored an empty netter from his own end with 6.3 seconds left.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2025
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That raised questions about Silicon Valley’s frantic spending.—
Cade Metz,
New York Times,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Finding and synthesizing that data would be both labor intensive and expensive for the district to do itself.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacramento Bee,
14 Mar. 2025
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Our only leverage were the ongoing national-level intensive negotiations over the NAFTA environmental side-accords.—
Serge Dedina,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Indiana Crime Guns Task Force was signed into law in 2021 and addresses violent crime in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson and Shelby counties, according to the Indiana General Assembly’s website.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2025
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The storm, which produced violent tornadoes, raging wildfires, and blinding dust storms, decimated homes, toppled vehicles, and left entire communities reeling from the devastation.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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At age 55, the director of the vicious South Korean social satire Parasite specializes in adolescent appeal.—
Armond White,
National Review,
12 Mar. 2025
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Ferran’s Blanche puts up a vicious fight, but Mescal’s Stanley relishes the roughhousing.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Tigers finally got some momentum and cut the lead to two with a furious rally and had a chance to take the lead after Louisville was called for a shot clock violation.—
Ryan Morik,
Fox News,
15 Mar. 2025
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Despite a furious rally in the last 17 minutes of the second half, the Terps (25-8) were left out of the Big Ten Tournament final for the third time, joining close calls in 2015 and 2016 when those squads were both bounced by Michigan State — 62-58 in 2015 and 64-61 in 2016.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ferocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ferocious. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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