savage 1 of 3

noun

Definition of savagenext
1
as in brute
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person what kind of savage would hurt a baby?

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2
as in barbarian
an uncivilized person inhabitants of exotic lands were invariably portrayed by early travel writers as savages

Synonyms & Similar Words

savage

2 of 3

adjective

ˈsa-vij How to pronounce savage (audio)
1
as in rude
not civilized Tarzan is usually portrayed as a noble but savage warrior of the jungle

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2
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others a savage attack on a helpless person

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in feral
living outdoors without taming or domestication by humans savage beasts that seemed threatening to the tourists

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in ferocious
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition early explorers avoided those areas that were rumored to be inhabited by savage natives

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savage

3 of 3

verb

as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly book reviewers mercilessly savaged his latest novel

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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of savage are barbarous, cruel, ferocious, and fierce. While all these words mean "showing fury or malignity in looks or actions," savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.

a savage criminal

Where would barbarous be a reasonable alternative to savage?

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

barbarous treatment of prisoners

When would cruel be a good substitute for savage?

The words cruel and savage can be used in similar contexts, but cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

the cruel jokes of schoolboys

When can ferocious be used instead of savage?

While in some cases nearly identical to savage, ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

a ferocious dog

When might fierce be a better fit than savage?

The synonyms fierce and savage are sometimes interchangeable, but fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.

fierce warriors

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 savage
Noun
But where Goya would turn savage over Spain’s fortunes, Murillo stayed light, even cutesy. — Walker Mimms, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2023 Along the way detailed signs provide information and locations of major incidents like the Bascom Affair and the Battle of Apache Pass, a savage fight between Cochise and 150 warriors and an advance guard of the California Column. — Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
The abrupt end of a placidly unquestioned friendship unleashes a savage emotional battle. — Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 14 Dec. 2022 Prompted by a perfect storm of my mom’s terminal illness and my employer’s savage institutional sexism, the decision had shocked many but also made way for my writing dreams to come true. — Sarah Smarsh, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022
Verb
The three critics who reviewed it, savaged it, the devils. — James Verniere, Boston Herald, 26 Jan. 2024 Pixel has savaged the backs of several chairs in the past, including an earlier Secretlab chair featuring the company’s Prime 2.0 leatherette (which claimed to be four times stronger than regular PU leather). — PCMAG, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for savage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for savage
  1. brute
  2. barbarian
  3. rude
  4. brutal
  5. feral
  6. ferocious
  7. attack
  8. villain
Noun
  • By the end of the episode, the audience is eager to meet the antihero, the brute, that everyone is talking about.
    — Maelle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Slinging a sports coat over his pajamas, Long pulls up to a curb and finds Tay (Dustin Nguyen), the Vietnamese speaker, plus two silent brutes, Eddie (Phi Vu) and Aden (Dali Benssalah), who muscle into his car and take over everything: the seating arrangements, the air freshener and their driver.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of brute
Noun
  • In a fable by Phaedrus, also written in the first century A.D., a barbarian is threatening the troops of the military leader, Pompey the Great.
    — Tom Sapsford, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Whatever the reason, barbarians likely used the spoons either to snort powdered substances, or to measure out a quantity to place into drinks like beer, or into pipes to be smoked.
    — Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 30 Jan. 2025
Definition of barbarian
Adjective
  • The move garnered mixed reactions, with many calling out Brown for his rude tone and choice of words.
    — Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Shift The Focus To Collaboration Sometimes, rude colleagues act out of insecurity or stress.
    — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of rude
Adjective
  • And often times that can yield lead to some brutal consequences.
    — Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Even without snow, the drop in temperature alone can be brutal.
    — Elizabeth Medeiros, Health, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of brutal
Adjective
  • In America alone, there are currently between 60 and 100 million stray and feral cats, completely left to their fate.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
  • South Florida Wildlands Association responded to a comment that the mystery animal could be a feral cat, expressing some of their doubts.
    — Kelli Bender, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of feral
Adjective
  • Hot Spring Shark Attack is set in a small, hot spring town in Japan, where a ferocious ancient shark reawakens and terrorizes the local hot spring facilities.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Moments of ferocious, wall-of-noise intensity come interspersed with passages of beautiful calm, like vape breaks between stints inside a dungeon rave.
    — Sam Davies, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of ferocious
Verb
  • This was a departure from Mourinho and Conte, who both moaned about investment, attacked the club culture, exited unceremoniously, and bad-mouthed them afterward.
    — Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • By the way, it was attacked from the Pentagon and from the White House as being fake news that this was going to happen and Elon Musk denounced the leak.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Majors also played the mega villain He Who Remains in Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaia.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Tenoch Huerta Mejia Mejia debuted as the villain Namor in Wakanda Forever and was responsible for the death of Queen Romanda (Angela Bassett) in that film.
    — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of villain

Browse Nearby Words

savable
savage
savaged
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Cite this Entry

“Savage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/savage. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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