feral 1 of 2

Definition of feralnext

feral

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective feral differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of feral are bestial, brutal, and brutish. While all these words mean "characteristic of an animal in nature, action, or instinct," feral suggests the savagery or ferocity of wild animals.

the struggle to survive unleashed their feral impulses

In what contexts can bestial take the place of feral?

While the synonyms bestial and feral are close in meaning, bestial suggests a state of degradation unworthy of humans and fit only for beasts.

bestial depravity

When would brutal be a good substitute for feral?

Although the words brutal and feral have much in common, brutal applies to people, their acts, or their words and suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling, or humanity.

a senseless and brutal war

When is brutish a more appropriate choice than feral?

The meanings of brutish and feral largely overlap; however, brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct.

brutish stupidity

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 feral
Adjective
Domestic animals become feral by surviving on their own in the wild and raising their offspring without help from humans. Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 17 June 2026 M-44s are designed to kill coyotes, foxes and feral dogs that sometimes prey on sheep and newborn cattle. Ted Williams, Denver Post, 12 June 2026
Noun
Showrunner Sam Levinson brought his own ideas, too, encouraging the team to move beyond the whimsical and the experimental into the feral. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for feral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feral
Adjective
  • The Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department advised anyone bitten or scratched by a bat or other wild animal to promptly clean the wound with soap and water, then contact a physician or go to the emergency room.
    Kelli Arseneau, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • And, speaking of wild, each team had a Max Muncy playing third base and batting seventh.
    Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • Unlike modern fighters that balance agility, stealth, and sensor fusion, the MiG-25 was engineered around brute force.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 June 2026
  • Similarly, history’s greatest leaders understand the absolute limits of brute force.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Rabies can also be transmitted through direct contact with brain or nervous system tissue from an infected animal.
    Kelli Arseneau, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • The animals have been seen on airport runways, walking on golf courses, roaming near schools and causing panic in supermarkets and hot spring resorts almost on a daily basis.
    CBS News, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • This experience prioritizes the animals’ wellbeing by focusing on increasing the population, collecting data, and working with experts who have success in re-wilding.
    Jack Tydeman, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The New York Mets are in disarray thanks to a brutal start to what was supposed to be a promising season.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026
  • In 1972, a year after a brutal conflict—one in which India helped with the rebirth of the eastern wing of Pakistan as Bangladesh—New Delhi and Islamabad concluded an agreement that resumed limited trade.
    Michael Kugelman, Time, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • There be beasties beyond US Route 93, bigger than my vision could handle.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
  • My bathtub seems to be a place these cute beasties like to hang out.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • The Yellow Death has disfigured the population, and soldiers in white-and-red tunics serve the savage Duke of Tviot.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • Josefowicz, in her decathlon of a performance, brought Ligeti’s savage discontinuities to the surface.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • In Buc-ee's complaint, the chain argues that the animalistic logo is too similar to its own – a toothy beaver wearing a red ballcap inside a bright yellow circle.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 6 May 2026
  • The song’s almost animalistic sensuality is miles away from the safe choices Skye has made—or been asked to make—until now.
    Cameron Cook, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Feral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feral. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

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