violent
adjective
vi·o·lent
ˈvī-ə-lənt 
1
a(1)
: marked by the use of usually harmful or destructive physical force
a violent attack
violent crime
The peaceful demonstration turned violent.
(2)
: showing or including violence
violent movies
b
: extremely powerful or forceful and capable of causing damage
violent storms
violent coughing
2
: caused by physical force or violence : not natural
a violent death
3
a
: emotionally agitated to the point of using harmful physical force
became violent after an insult
b
: prone to commit acts of violence
violent prison inmates
violently
adverb
Examples of violent in a Sentence
They witnessed a violent struggle between police and protesters.
The peaceful protest suddenly turned violent.
The city has experienced an increase in violent crime in the past year.
The final scene was extremely violent.
She suffered a violent death in a car accident.
The patient suddenly became violent and had to be restrained.
He's not a particularly violent person.
Recent Examples on the Web
At the time, local police data showed that violent crime in the area had been declining after a spike in 2023.
—
Dejanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Peruvians voted in favor of Fujimori amid a surge in violent crime, extortion and years of political instability.
—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2026
Newsom’s signature on the bill will allow courts to prevent the diversion of violent criminals with greater ease.
—
Sofia Williams,
Sacbee.com,
30 June 2026
The worldwide rights deal follows Citizen Vigilante effective ban in Germany, where it was denied a rating due to concerns that its violent content could incite violence against immigrants.
—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for violent
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Dejanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Peruvians voted in favor of Fujimori amid a surge in violent crime, extortion and years of political instability.
—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2026
Newsom’s signature on the bill will allow courts to prevent the diversion of violent criminals with greater ease.
—
Sofia Williams,
Sacbee.com,
30 June 2026
The worldwide rights deal follows Citizen Vigilante effective ban in Germany, where it was denied a rating due to concerns that its violent content could incite violence against immigrants.
—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for violent
Cite this Entry
“Violent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violent. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
violent
adjective
vi·o·lent
ˈvī-ə-lənt
1
: marked by great force or sudden activity
a violent attack of coughing
violent storms
2
a
: especially furious or emotional
a violent denial of guilt
b
: intense sense 1
violent pain
3
: caused by force
a violent death
4
a
: acting with or characterized by harmful physical force : exercising or marked by violence
a violent person
violent actions
b
: having a tendency to carry out acts of violence
violent prison inmates
violently
adverb
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