feral

adjective fe·ral \ ˈfir-əl , ˈfer- ; ˈfe-rəl \

|Updated on: 8 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: feral in a Sentence

Definition of feral

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

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feral

noun

See feral defined for English-language learners

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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 of feral from the Web

California’s hunters report killing fewer than 5,000 wild pigs each year, a fraction of the state's feral hog population, estimated at between 200,000 and 400,000.

— ryan sabalow, sacbee, "Wild pigs cause millions in damages in California. But hunting them could become easier," 25 June 2018
The Navajo community in Arizona has had to contend with a growing feral horse population ofabout 50,000 to 70,000, according to the statement.

— amir vera, CNN, "Nearly 200 dead horses found on Navajo land in Arizona," 5 May 2018
Texas is home to the largest feral hog population in the United States, with an estimated 4 million hogs statewide.

— craig hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, "The ins and outs of feral hog hunting in Texas," 28 Mar. 2018
By the 1930s, some had been released into the wild, both intentionally and accidentally, and began to establish feral populations.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "California Is Asking Residents to Report Sightings of Giant, Invasive Rodents," 14 Feb. 2018
The result was that feral pigs moved in and destroyed lawns.

— cheryl conley, Houston Chronicle, "The top dog: Coyotes are interesting canines," 10 July 2018
The nonnative feral pigs that have invaded 56 of California's 58 counties live almost entirely on private agricultural land.

— ryan sabalow, sacbee, "Wild pigs cause millions in damages in California. But hunting them could become easier," 25 June 2018
Hits were the javelina (a not very attractive feral pig), bighorn sheep and the gray fox.

— joe drape, New York Times, "On an Arizona Road Trip, Miles of Family Firsts," 12 June 2018
Since members of his staff have been trained and armed, staff have had to use weapons only on roaming wildlife that posed a threat, including feral pigs, rattlesnakes and rabid skunks.

— moriah balingit, Washington Post, "‘No way I would do that’: Educators decry Trump proposal to arm teachers," 22 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'feral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of feral

Medieval Latin feralis, from Latin fera wild animal, from feminine of ferus wild — more at fierce

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1604

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

feral Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of 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.