savagery
noun
sav·age·ry
ˈsa-vij-rē 
-vi-jə-
plural savageries
1
a
: the quality of being savage
b
: an act of cruelty or violence
2
: an uncivilized state
Synonyms
Examples of savagery in a Sentence
The savagery of the attack was horrifying.
an act of pure savagery
the savageries committed by the soldiers
Recent Examples on the Web
The savagery that emerges from Daniel’s paranoia — or justified certainty?
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 May 2024
There is a pattern: the savagery of Hamas; the response of Israel; the backers on either side.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 15 May 2024
On one side were Hobbes’s heirs, who vigorously championed civilization over savagery—that is, if civilization meant accumulating private wealth, using industrial technology, and fighting fewer wars.
—Maya Jasanoff, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024
On Tuesday night, Dickson Court exploded into savagery and chaos.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Into this morass of cruelty and savagery comes Lucy MacLean, the only person in a thousand-mile radius who believes mankind should work for the greater good.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2024
The military’s savagery, long known to ethnic minorities, is now broadcast daily to the wider public on social media, leading many Burmese to reevaluate the armed forces’ role in society.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
In the Devil May Cry series of the 2000s and 2010s, the symphony of on-screen savagery played out across discrete levels.
—Lewis Gordon, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Gorman, who oversees all federal prosecutions in Western Washington, said the investigation unearthed a massive drug network that stood out for its savagery.
—Beth Warren, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 May 2024
There is a pattern: the savagery of Hamas; the response of Israel; the backers on either side.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 15 May 2024
On one side were Hobbes’s heirs, who vigorously championed civilization over savagery—that is, if civilization meant accumulating private wealth, using industrial technology, and fighting fewer wars.
—Maya Jasanoff, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024
On Tuesday night, Dickson Court exploded into savagery and chaos.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Into this morass of cruelty and savagery comes Lucy MacLean, the only person in a thousand-mile radius who believes mankind should work for the greater good.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2024
The military’s savagery, long known to ethnic minorities, is now broadcast daily to the wider public on social media, leading many Burmese to reevaluate the armed forces’ role in society.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
In the Devil May Cry series of the 2000s and 2010s, the symphony of on-screen savagery played out across discrete levels.
—Lewis Gordon, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Gorman, who oversees all federal prosecutions in Western Washington, said the investigation unearthed a massive drug network that stood out for its savagery.
—Beth Warren, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'savagery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near savagery
Cite this Entry
“Savagery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savagery. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
savagery
noun
sav·age·ry
ˈsav-ij-(ə-)rē
plural savageries
1
: savage disposition or action : cruelty
2
: the state of being savage
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