ferocious

adjective

fe·ro·cious | \ fə-ˈrō-shəs

Definition of ferocious

1 : exhibiting or given to extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality a ferocious predator the ferocious butchery of women and children

2 : extremely intense ferocious heat The competition among the students was ferocious.

Other Words from ferocious Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About ferocious

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Choose the Right Synonym for ferocious

fierce, ferocious, barbarous, savage, cruel mean showing fury or malignity in looks or actions. fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack. fierce warriors ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality. a ferocious dog barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people. barbarous treatment of prisoners savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion. a savage criminal cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it. the cruel jokes of schoolboys

Examples of ferocious in a Sentence

A ferocious wind swept the beach. The competition among the students was ferocious.

Recent Examples on the Web Behind the poster wall a ferocious battle was happening in the cloud, in utter silence. — Wired, 1 Sep. 2021 The Pose star laid into Rent’s 11 o’clock number with visceral emotion and a ferocious vocal performance. — Jackson Mchenry, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2021 Yosemite features some of the world’s tallest granite walls, a parade of thundering waterfalls, and colossal domes and peaks carved in part by the ferocious power of ancient glaciers and volcanoes. — Shawnté Salabert, Outside Online, 22 Feb. 2021 Brady threw three touchdown passes, and, along with a ferocious defensive performance, powered the Buccaneers to a stunning 31-9 win over Kansas CIty Sunday night. — oregonlive, 7 Feb. 2021 Life has been slowly returning to normal in India after the trauma of a ferocious coronavirus surge earlier this year ground life in the country to a halt, sickened tens of millions, and left hundreds of thousands dead. — Arkansas Online, 3 Sep. 2021 Life has been slowly returning to normal in India after the trauma of a ferocious coronavirus surge earlier this year ground life in the country to a halt, sickened tens of millions, and left hundreds of thousands dead. — Krutika Pathi, ajc, 1 Sep. 2021 Energy and chemical companies throughout the region have been surveying damage since Ida barreled onshore Sunday, bringing ferocious winds and heavy rain. — David Koenig And Paul Wiseman, Chron, 31 Aug. 2021 The issue is that the Gulf coast is home to some of America’s largest oil refineries, and the hurricane’s ferocious winds make it near impossible to operate the facilities. — Simon Constable, Forbes, 30 Aug. 2021

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