ferocious

adjective

fə-ˈrō-shəs How to pronounce ferocious (audio)
Definition of ferociousnext
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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Synonym Chooser

How is the word ferocious different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of ferocious are barbarous, cruel, fierce, and savage. While all these words mean "showing fury or malignity in looks or actions," ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

a ferocious dog

When is barbarous a more appropriate choice than ferocious?

Although the words barbarous and ferocious have much in common, barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people.

barbarous treatment of prisoners

When can cruel be used instead of ferocious?

While the synonyms cruel and ferocious are close in meaning, cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

the cruel jokes of schoolboys

Where would fierce be a reasonable alternative to ferocious?

The meanings of fierce and ferocious largely overlap; however, fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.

fierce warriors

When would savage be a good substitute for ferocious?

In some situations, the words savage and ferocious are roughly equivalent. However, savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.

a savage criminal

Example Sentences

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.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ferocious
  1. intense
  2. fierce
  3. savage
  4. frantic
  5. intensive
  6. violent
  7. vicious
  8. furious
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of intense
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of savage
Adjective
  • 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
  • That raised questions about Silicon Valley’s frantic spending.
    — Cade Metz, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of frantic
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of intensive
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of violent
Adjective
  • At age 55, the director of the vicious South Korean social satire Parasite specializes in adolescent appeal.
    — Armond White, National Review, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Ferran’s Blanche puts up a vicious fight, but Mescal’s Stanley relishes the roughhousing.
    — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of vicious
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of furious

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Cite this Entry

“Ferocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ferocious. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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