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 of feral

• wild
• wilding
• savage

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

Or maybe Pitt simply wanted to get his Jack London on, traipsing throughout gorgeous natural terrain and ruffling his co-star’s fur in between fending off feral wolves and navigating impromptu whitewater rafting trips sans the raft. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026

Then Leigh noticed a skinny guy clad in a ratty Daniel Johnston T-shirt, his hair a feral mess. — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026

Florida law has specific statutory provisions that address feral and free-ranging cats, which are considered domestic animals under state law that are protected by the animal cruelty statutes. — Michael L. Hyman, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026

Even island biogeography is having its way; the moose that dwell in the Bronx are unusually small, the feral cats of Manhattan strangely large. — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for feral

• beryl
• karel
• peril
• seral
• sterile
• sterol
• carbaryl
• glyceryl
• imperil
• foraminiferal
• tocopherol

Kids Definition

feral

adjective

fe·​ral ˈfir-əl  ˈfer- 

: having escaped from domestication and become wild

feral cats