Synonyms of savage

savage 1 of 3

noun

1

as in brute

a mean, evil, or unprincipled person

what kind of savage would hurt a baby?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brute
• villain
• monster
• beast
• criminal
• devil
• offender
• wretch
• bandit
• thug
• rogue
• scoundrel
• assassin
• heavy
• reprobate
• rascal
• scapegrace
• gangster
• knave
• caitiff
• scamp
• nazi
• fiend
• hound
• miscreant
• scalawag
• no-good
• varlet
• evildoer
• crook
• perpetrator
• meany
• snake
• scallywag
• baddy
• baddie
• loser
• rapscallion
• meanie
• trespasser
• blackguard
• outlaw
• rough
• viper
• felon
• culprit
• sinner
• serpent
• transgressor
• villainess
• heel
• cutthroat
• tough
• desperado
• lawbreaker
• ruffian
• perp
• wrongdoer
• rowdy
• cad
• con
• malefactor
• hooligan
• hoodlum
• convict
• racketeer
• lowlife
• jailbird
• bravo
• goon
• gunman
• stinker
• trash
• ne'er-do-well

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• innocent
• hero
• angel
• saint

2

as in barbarian

an uncivilized person

inhabitants of exotic lands were invariably portrayed by early travel writers as savages

Synonyms & Similar Words

• barbarian
• primitive
• heathen
• Neanderthal
• noble savage

savage

2 of 3

adjective

ˈsa-vij 

1

as in rude

not civilized

Tarzan is usually portrayed as a noble but savage warrior of the jungle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• barbarian
• rude
• wild
• primitive
• barbarous
• barbaric
• uncivilized
• Neanderthal
• natural
• uncivil
• uncultivated
• heathenish
• heathen
• Neandertal
• crude
• coarse
• rough
• uncouth
• uncultured

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• civilized
• sophisticated
• humane
• enlightened
• cultured
• polite
• polished
• genteel
• refined
• urbane
• well-bred
• semicivilized

2

as in brutal

having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others

a savage attack on a helpless person

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brutal
• vicious
• cruel
• ruthless
• barbarous
• barbaric
• murderous
• merciless
• ferocious
• brute
• inhuman
• sadistic
• heartless
• inhumane
• fiendish
• truculent
• atrocious
• oppressive
• harsh
• hateful
• pitiless
• butcherly
• wanton
• malicious
• red in tooth and claw
• bloodthirsty
• sanguinary
• grim
• fell
• unfeeling
• malignant
• vindictive
• cutthroat
• spiteful
• malevolent
• hard-hearted
• sanguine
• malign
• draconian
• ironhearted
• catty
• nasty
• mean
• stonyhearted
• despiteful
• draconic
• heavy-handed
• hardhanded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sympathetic
• humane
• benign
• kind
• compassionate
• warm
• tender
• merciful
• benignant
• charitable
• kindhearted
• good-hearted
• lenient
• tenderhearted
• pitying
• peaceful
• peaceable
• pacific
• warmhearted
• clement

3

as in feral

living outdoors without taming or domestication by humans

savage beasts that seemed threatening to the tourists

Synonyms & Similar Words

• feral
• wild
• wilding
• untamed
• unbroken
• undomesticated
• brutal
• brute
• uncontrolled
• bestial
• barbarous
• uncivilized
• untrained
• unsubdued
• undocile

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• domestic
• tame
• domesticated
• broken
• tamed
• subdued
• controlled
• docile
• busted
• familiar
• submissive
• civilized
• gentled
• trained
• semidomesticated
• socialized
• halterbroken
• housebroken
• semicivilized

4

as in ferocious

violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition

early explorers avoided those areas that were rumored to be inhabited by savage natives

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ferocious
• vicious
• fierce
• ruthless
• merciless
• brute
• fell
• grim
• murderous
• menacing
• murdering
• militant
• relentless
• warlike
• wild
• belligerent
• barbaric
• bellicose
• assaultive
• pugnacious
• combative
• contentious
• ravenous
• bestial
• confrontational
• feisty
• uncivilized
• gladiatorial
• pitiless
• threatening
• in-your-face
• inhuman
• bloodthirsty
• bloody
• truculent
• scrappy
• quarrelsome
• sanguinary
• inhumane
• discordant
• argumentative
• bare-knuckles
• brawly
• disputatious
• bare-knuckled
• implacable
• take-no-prisoners
• unrelenting
• homicidal
• heartless
• blood-and-guts
• bare-knuckle
• chippy
• rapacious
• voracious
• sanguine
• wanton

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• mild
• gentle
• warm
• friendly
• congenial
• tame
• genial
• hearty
• cordial
• amicable
• benign
• kind
• submissive
• human
• compliant
• merciful
• compassionate
• peaceable
• peaceful
• unaggressive
• pacific
• companionable
• amiable
• civilized
• comradely
• humane
• warmhearted
• cultured
• complaisant
• obliging

savage

3 of 3

verb

as in to attack

to criticize harshly and usually publicly

book reviewers mercilessly savaged his latest novel

Synonyms & Similar Words

• attack
• slam
• scold
• insult
• abuse
• blast
• criticize
• assail
• vituperate
• jump (on)
• lambast
• excoriate
• tie into
• curse
• scathe
• bash
• sail into
• harass
• trash
• lambaste
• castigate
• revile
• beat up on
• potshot
• affront
• belabor
• profane
• harangue
• light into
• harry
• blackguard
• reprimand
• berate
• execrate
• blaspheme
• slur
• libel
• imprecate
• disparage
• slander
• asperse
• whip
• belittle
• vilify
• rebuke
• chastise
• lash (out)
• chide
• fulminate
• lace (into)
• put down
• traduce
• bad-mouth

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• praise
• commend
• compliment
• hail
• laud
• acclaim

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

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 show savages comedic divas, lascivious network executives, Vegas casino moguls, quirky denizens of writers’ rooms and every flavor of personal assistant imaginable. —Howard Homonoff, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025

This one — initially propelled by anger at Trump and the Republicans’ approach to health care and gun violence — savages Trump nightly, leading the president to make calls to Disney in 2018, urging it to rein him in. —Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2025