feral

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

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

—

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

The New York City subway has had a long, hard summer of signal problems and stalled trains and even a feral cat.

— jen kirby, Daily Intelligencer, "Latest Subway Disaster Courtesy of Improperly Secured Garbage," 23 Aug. 2017
Unlike outdoor cats and feral cats, who pose a danger to local species populations in the wild, these cats are safely exploring the world.

— jackie mansky, Smithsonian, "A Brief History of Traveling with Cats," 14 Aug. 2017
The cause, says network co-leader Jeremy Russell-Smith of Charles Darwin University in Casuarina, Australia, appears to have been more frequent fires, which created more open ground and allowed feral cats to decimate native species.

— john pickrell, Science | AAAS, "Australia to ax support for long-term ecology sites," 11 Aug. 2017
Groucho and Baby were among two dozen feral cats flown off base for retirement in Lancaster, South Carolina, on May 14, 2017.

— carol rosenberg, miamiherald, "Guantánamo Navy base cancels privileges for pesky cat-lovers’ club Git-Meow," 7 Aug. 2017
DuPage County also works to control the feral cat population by trapping and neutering the cats.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Summer a hot time for pet owners to 'clean house' of their cats and dogs," 18 July 2017
Meow Village has rescued more than 200 kittens born to feral cats since late spring.

— susan green, OregonLive.com, "95 kittens need homes. Adopt one Sunday at adoption event," 13 July 2017
After releasing a couple of albums surveying the tundra of postpunk—full of wide-open spaces, instrumental lunges, and feral howls—Beijing three-piece Re-Tros are pivoting toward a minimalism that draws people in rather than making them scurry away.

— leor galil, Chicago Reader, "Beijing postpunks Re-Tros ditch the chilly atmospherics for Krautrock and dance music," 6 July 2017
The vibe is rich hippie, with blush-colored duvets and feral-looking bouquets of seasonal flowers and female acoustic covers of Bruce Springsteen songs.

— marisa meltzer, New York Times, "Is a Facial Worth the Fuss?," 26 June 2017

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

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First Known Use: 1604

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feral Synonyms

Synonyms

wild, savage, unbroken, undomesticated, untamed, wilding

Antonyms

broken, busted, domestic, domesticated, gentled, tame, tamed

Related Words

uncontrolled, undocile, unsubdued, untrained; bestial, brutal, brute; barbarous, uncivilized

Near Antonyms

controlled, docile, familiar, semidomesticated, subdued, submissive; halterbroken, housebroken, trained; civilized, semicivilized, socialized

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.

- a senseless and brutal war

brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct.

- brutish stupidity

bestial suggests a state of degradation unworthy of humans and fit only for beasts.

- bestial depravity

feral suggests the savagery or ferocity of wild animals.

- the struggle to survive unleashed their feral impulses

Other Animal Husbandry Terms

apiary, bantam, calico, girth, hogwash, mast, rut

FERAL Defined for English Language Learners

feral

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adjective

Definition of feral for English Language Learners

: of, relating to, or resembling a wild beast
—used to describe an animal (such as a cat or dog) that has escaped and become wild

FERAL Defined for Kids

feral

play

adjective fe·ral \ ˈfir-əl , ˈfer- \

Definition of feral for Students

:having escaped from the care of people and become wild

feral pigs

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Examples of feral in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of feral

feral Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

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Synonym Discussion of feral

Other Animal Husbandry Terms

FERAL Defined for English Language Learners

feral

Definition of feral for English Language Learners

FERAL Defined for Kids

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