FEROCIOUS Synonyms: 220 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

ferocious

adjective

fə-ˈrō-shəs

Definition of ferocious next

as in intense

extreme in degree, power, or effect the ferocious appetite that athletic teenagers have been known to display

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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as in savage

violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition the animal is known as a ferocious predator

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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 Those are pretty ferocious wind speeds and make firefighting very difficult. —

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025 More than 12,000 homes have been destroyed by ferocious fires that have left at least 11 dead. —

Chantz Martin, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025 Then, as the ferocious winds began to die down on Wednesday, firefighters were once again able to take to the air, scooping up water from the ocean and reservoirs and dumping it on the fires. —

Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025 Those howling winds, measured at speeds approaching 100 mph, fueled the ferocious firestorms that followed. —

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for ferocious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ferocious

Adjective

The Chiefs tallied another three points from Butker as both defenses were noticeably intense and solid as the first quarter ended 6-3 Kansas City.

— Kevin Dotson, CNN, 19 Jan. 2025
The single performs even better on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, which is compiled in the same way as the Rock Digital Song Sales list, only the focus is exclusively on the more intense, harder style of the genre.

— Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025