feral

adjective

fe·​ral ˈfir-əl 

ˈfer-;

ˈfe-rəl 

1

: of, relating to, or suggestive of a wild beast

feral teeth

feral instincts

2

a

: not domesticated or cultivated : wild

feral animals

b

: having escaped from domestication and become wild

feral cats

feral noun

Synonyms

• savage
• unbroken
• undomesticated
• untamed
• wild
• wilding

Choose the Right Synonym for feral

brutal, brutish, bestial, feral mean characteristic of an animal in nature, action, or instinct.

brutal applies to people, their acts, or their words and suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling, or humanity.

a senseless and brutal war

brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct.

brutish stupidity

bestial suggests a state of degradation unworthy of humans and fit only for beasts.

bestial depravity

feral suggests the savagery or ferocity of wild animals.

the struggle to survive unleashed their feral impulses

Examples of feral in a Sentence

They led a feral existence.

animal experts discourage homeowners from trying to adopt feral animals as pets

Recent Examples on the Web

In the 10 days since Lavin first posted the song on TikTok, it’s gone from a feral cry of anger into a genuine viral moment complete with millions of views and people in Lavin’s corner. —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2024

In neighboring Comal County, two feral cats tested positive for rabies last month. —Brooke Park, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Oct. 2024

The two actresses spark up something fiery, almost feral in each other, and the movie is both respectful of the two women while still understanding the sensational nature of the case. —Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024

The title and setup promise something truly feral, but the movie essentially gets spayed. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin feralis, from Latin fera wild animal, from feminine of ferus wild — more at fierce

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

feral

adjective

fe·​ral ˈfir-əl  ˈfer- 

: having escaped from domestication and become wild

feral cats