ferocious

1 of 2

adjective

fe·​ro·​cious fə-ˈrō-shəs 

1

: exhibiting or given to extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality

a ferocious predator

the ferocious butchery of women and children

2

: extremely intense

ferocious heat

The competition among the students was ferocious.

ferociously adverb

ferociousness noun

ferociousness

2 of 2

noun

fe·​ro·​cious·​ness

plural -es

: ferocity

Synonyms of ferocious

Adjective

• intense
• fierce
• intensive
• terrible
• furious
• deep

Choose the Right Synonym for ferocious

fierce, ferocious, barbarous, savage, cruel mean showing fury or malignity in looks or actions.

fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.

fierce warriors

ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

a ferocious dog

barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people.

barbarous treatment of prisoners

savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.

a savage criminal

cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

the cruel jokes of schoolboys

Examples of ferocious in a Sentence

Adjective

A ferocious wind swept the beach.

The competition among the students was ferocious.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Platt shot cellphone video showing ferocious waves spilling over the promenade along East Brigantine Avenue on Saturday, pushing two bike racks aside and splashing Mayor Vince Sera. — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

Ali dominated early, before Frazier mounted a ferocious counterattack in the middle. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026

Pursuing Leamas and Doris are Josef Fiedler and Hans-Dieter Mundt, two Stasi operatives whose ferocious desire to shut down the intelligence leak is matched only by their internal rivalry and an iron will to outmatch each other. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026

Pursuing Leamas and Doris are Josef Fiedler (Brühl) and Hans-Dieter Mundt (Kammerer), two Stasi operatives whose ferocious desire to shut down the intelligence leak is matched only by their internal rivalry and an iron will to outmatch each other. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin feroc-, ferox, literally, fierce looking, from ferus + -oc-, -ox (akin to Greek ōps eye) — more at eye

First Known Use

Adjective

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ferocious

• atrocious
• precocious

Kids Definition

ferocious

adjective

fe·​ro·​cious fə-ˈrō-shəs 

1

: fierce sense 1, savage

2

: very great : extreme

ferocious heat

ferociously adverb

ferociousness noun

ferocity

fə-ˈräs-ət-ē

noun