violent
adjective
vi·o·lent
ˈvī-ə-lənt 
1
a(1)
: marked by the use of usually harmful or destructive physical force
a violent attack
violent crime
The peaceful demonstration turned violent.
(2)
: showing or including violence
violent movies
b
: extremely powerful or forceful and capable of causing damage
violent storms
violent coughing
2
: caused by physical force or violence : not natural
a violent death
3
a
: emotionally agitated to the point of using harmful physical force
became violent after an insult
b
: prone to commit acts of violence
violent prison inmates
violently
adverb
Examples of violent in a Sentence
They witnessed a violent struggle between police and protesters.
The peaceful protest suddenly turned violent.
The city has experienced an increase in violent crime in the past year.
The final scene was extremely violent.
She suffered a violent death in a car accident.
The patient suddenly became violent and had to be restrained.
He's not a particularly violent person.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lisa Frankenstein centers on awkward and antisocial high schooler Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) after the violent demise of her mother.
—
Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
With words infallibly falling short, Pritam mingled realism with a fragmentary style of narration that meshes together social encounters, violent episodes, vivid metaphors, disturbing dreams, memories, intimate self-reflections, and introspection on society.
—JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
While Gooding teased that the new Ghostface killer will be even more violent, Williamson confirmed that no matter what Ghostface’s kill count is in the new installment, Sidney will be safe.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Spanberger softly condemned Jones’s violent rhetoric but declined to distance herself from him.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for violent
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Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
With words infallibly falling short, Pritam mingled realism with a fragmentary style of narration that meshes together social encounters, violent episodes, vivid metaphors, disturbing dreams, memories, intimate self-reflections, and introspection on society.
—JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
While Gooding teased that the new Ghostface killer will be even more violent, Williamson confirmed that no matter what Ghostface’s kill count is in the new installment, Sidney will be safe.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Spanberger softly condemned Jones’s violent rhetoric but declined to distance herself from him.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for violent
Cite this Entry
“Violent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violent. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
violent
adjective
vi·o·lent
ˈvī-ə-lənt
1
: marked by great force or sudden activity
a violent attack of coughing
violent storms
2
a
: especially furious or emotional
a violent denial of guilt
b
: intense sense 1
violent pain
3
: caused by force
a violent death
4
a
: acting with or characterized by harmful physical force : exercising or marked by violence
a violent person
violent actions
b
: having a tendency to carry out acts of violence
violent prison inmates
violently
adverb
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