1
as in wild
living outdoors without taming or domestication by humans
animal experts discourage homeowners from trying to adopt feral animals as pets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in animal
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of feral
James Grebey, Time, 20 June 2025
There are tribes of fast, feral predators that resemble the second coming of neanderthals.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025
Screenshots from a May 4 TikTok video of a feral cat finally trusting the woman who fed him for five years during his last day.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
There is no dispute between the parties over trapping, spaying or neutering and then releasing feral cats, which are unsocialized.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for feral
Noun
Advertisement Dawn of the Dead (1978) There's a credible case to be made that Romero's 1973 movie The Crazies, about a biological weapon that causes residents of a small town to go feral, qualifies as a zombie movie.
—James Grebey, Time, 20 June 2025
There are tribes of fast, feral predators that resemble the second coming of neanderthals.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025
Screenshots from a May 4 TikTok video of a feral cat finally trusting the woman who fed him for five years during his last day.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
There is no dispute between the parties over trapping, spaying or neutering and then releasing feral cats, which are unsocialized.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for feral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feral
Adjective
-
Fortune Feimster partnered with Johnsonville, the popular sausage brand, for a wild Fourth of July bash at Summerfest in Milwaukee.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
8 July 2025
-
Best Nordstrom Anniversary Sale accessory deals Some pretty wild things are going on over in the accessories department, where high-summer necessities like city bags and sleek sunglasses are up to 45% off.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
However, kindness possesses its own power, exerting a force more enduring than brute strength.—
Jennifer Boulanger,
New York Daily News,
28 June 2025
-
Instead of overpowering her adversaries with brute strength, Eve is taught to get creative and utilize whatever is around her— including ice skates, pots and pans — as weapons to defend herself.—
Jan Wagner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 June 2025
Noun
-
The chemicals can also linger for years in the bodies and bloodstreams of animals and humans.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2025
-
Police said there was no sign of food or water for the animals, and investigators believe the animals died from prolonged starvation or dehydration, according to the release.—
Elainie Barraza,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
Each of the disciples have their own secrets to bear, life taking them on some brutal pathways, the piece leaning into powerful introspection.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
-
The Royals lost to the Dodgers on Friday night, a brutal 5-4 loss as Jac Caglianone grounded into a double play to conclude the 11th straight home loss.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
That hybrid classification extends to recent hits such as Minecraft and Sonic the Hedgehog, which combine live actors with CGI beasties.—
Chris Lee,
Vulture,
27 May 2025
-
The risks are evident – having these kinds of four-legged beasties roaming free around us without the guardrails they’re programmed with could be – well - pretty chaotic.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
This log flume ride, which debuted in November 2024, is centered on the sites and sounds of 1920s Bayou Country, including zydeco and Afro-Cuban music, Mardi Gras, the culinary traditions of New Orleans and, of course, the region’s critters—crocodiles among them.—
Michelle Baran,
AFAR Media,
27 June 2025
-
Naming the critter Finnegan, the fox has been prominent throughout Mikayla's social media content.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
In the five years since the events of Jurassic World Dominion, many of the dinosaurs and other formerly extinct creatures that were set free into the world have died off, unable to survive in the modern climate and otherwise hostile environments.—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
30 June 2025
-
These pearly beach creatures are perfect to wear on your ears for your next beachside soirée.—
Rana Good,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Feral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feral. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share