1
as in wild
living outdoors without taming or domestication by humans
animal experts discourage homeowners from trying to adopt feral animals as pets
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brute
having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal
a novel that reveals just how thin the veneer of civilization is and how feral we are at bottom
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in animal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of feral
Raven Brunner, People.com, 27 May 2025
From then on, the young cat was brought into Sarah's home, where Sarah spent time and patience in trying to get the feral cat to become confident around humans.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
In addition to its native birdlife, visitors can also catch a glimpse of the endemic Turks and Caicos rock iguanas that call South Caicos home, while feral donkeys can also be found in abundance, each one a descendant of the many equines that were left across the region during the 17th century.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
When dead animals start showing up around town, a superstitious ferryman claims he’s seen the Mansfield girls shapeshift into feral hounds.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for feral
Adjective
But having to show up to the theater every day and try to control this wild, feral animal that is Cole Escola's Mary Todd Lincoln has been the greatest challenge of my life.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 27 May 2025
From then on, the young cat was brought into Sarah's home, where Sarah spent time and patience in trying to get the feral cat to become confident around humans.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
In addition to its native birdlife, visitors can also catch a glimpse of the endemic Turks and Caicos rock iguanas that call South Caicos home, while feral donkeys can also be found in abundance, each one a descendant of the many equines that were left across the region during the 17th century.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
When dead animals start showing up around town, a superstitious ferryman claims he’s seen the Mansfield girls shapeshift into feral hounds.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for feral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feral
Adjective
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This was still wild country, and Fuller set off with the express purpose of producing a book about her journey.—
James Marcus,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
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The fish skin – a medical product made from wild North Atlantic cod and manufactured by the Icelandic company Kerecis – provided a scaffold, or a type of platform, for new skin tissue to grow.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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After seizing power in 2007, Hamas clamped down on Gaza’s gangs — sometimes with brute force and sometimes by steering perks their way.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
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His brute force and scoring touch were the perfect blend of physicality and finesse Florida needed and a dominant style of game that carries over into the postseason.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
1 June 2025
Noun
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All the animals, including Thunder, were seized and the homeowner was charged with felony animal cruelty and three counts of confining animals without proper food, care, and sustenance, officials said.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2025
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Experts recommend starting with some scent swapping—using blankets or toys to familiarize the existing pet and the incoming animal with each other's smell—before allowing visual contact.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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As the state on Thursday summed up the brutal details that made up the prosecution’s case, a relative walked out of the courtroom with a loud scream, causing Petrone to tell the jury to ignore the outburst.—
Madeline Buckley,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
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Here lies the brutal dilemma of change: Leaders see systems; people feel emotions.—
Sahar Andrade,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
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In this movie, their most formidable foes are a hellish bunch of beasties disguised as a rival boy band.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
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Set in a fictional, secluded land of mountains and lakes, Ochi follows a plucky teen named Yuri (played by Helena Zengel), who’s been raised by her father to fear and hunt the reclusive little beasties called ochi.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
Noun
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Summer temperatures are warming up, which means Texas critters may be looking to avoid the heat by going into homes.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2025
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As one of the largest islands in the world, this jumble of rainforests, highland plateaus, and otherworldly rock formations has spawned a unique ecosystem of freakish critters—many of which can’t be found anywhere else on earth.—
Chris Schalkx,
Robb Report,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Even more astonishing, the largest migration on Earth occurs daily as deep-sea creatures rise to the surface under cover of night to make their way to other areas.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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Ultimately, this first installment has laid the foundation for the theme of nature vs. nurture and answering the age old question of whether man and creature can get along.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Feral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feral. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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