feral 1 of 2

Definition of feralnext

feral

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective feral differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of feral are bestial, brutal, and brutish. While all these words mean "characteristic of an animal in nature, action, or instinct," feral suggests the savagery or ferocity of wild animals.

the struggle to survive unleashed their feral impulses

In what contexts can bestial take the place of feral?

While the synonyms bestial and feral are close in meaning, bestial suggests a state of degradation unworthy of humans and fit only for beasts.

bestial depravity

When would brutal be a good substitute for feral?

Although the words brutal and feral have much in common, brutal applies to people, their acts, or their words and suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling, or humanity.

a senseless and brutal war

When is brutish a more appropriate choice than feral?

The meanings of brutish and feral largely overlap; however, brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct.

brutish stupidity

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
Adjective
Margo goes feral, leaping over the table like a lioness, desperately clawing the air. Erin Qualey, Vulture, 20 May 2026 The old mining town of Oatman, known for its feral donkeys, is on the way. Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Noun
Showrunner Sam Levinson brought his own ideas, too, encouraging the team to move beyond the whimsical and the experimental into the feral. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for feral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feral
Adjective
  • From branches above her is released a sudden shower of ash keys, which flutter downwards, whirring in circles, until their wild flight is put to a stop by meeting the water’s surface, where they are apprehended and whisked away downstream.
    Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
  • Keeping in that spirit, small inn-like touches, including breakfast and common spaces (with a pool deck to come in 2025), make this a welcome new gathering place for the area sandwiched between the center of town’s climbing roses and some of the island’s most popular, wild beaches.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Adjective
  • Hard rock mining Standard refining is a brute-force process.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
  • The texture is smooth and medium-bodied, emphasizing balance rather than brute force.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Noun
  • The animal first gained attention after a local farmer noticed the resemblance.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
  • New World screwworm, which burrows into the flesh of living animals, is a pest that can affect livestock and cause economic losses in the agricultural sector.
    Justina Lee, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Adjective
  • This experience prioritizes the animals’ wellbeing by focusing on increasing the population, collecting data, and working with experts who have success in re-wilding.
    Jack Tydeman, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Bichette is off to a brutal start, Francisco Lindor’s spring hamate injury may have affected his power even before his calf strain knocked him out for the last month, and Jorge Polanco has barely been on the field.
    Tim Britton, New York Times, 29 May 2026
  • Hounded by a loud, impatient Eisenhower and faced with the very real evidence that a brutal trio of storms will make an early June invasion impossible, Stagg is torn between doing his duty and, well, doing his duty.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • My bathtub seems to be a place these cute beasties like to hang out.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 16 May 2026
  • Thirty-two of the collared beasties are out there right now, aperitifs in waiting.
    Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Adjective
  • Their twiggy legs and bony frames exposed in bathing suits, the kids do indeed look extra vulnerable within the film’s savage landscape.
    Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 25 May 2026
  • Sure, sci-fi can be bleak — there's no end to the cosmic horrors and savage alien races that game developers can conjure up — but that almost always comes as a result of humanity's success in space.
    Ian Stokes, Space.com, 24 May 2026
Adjective
  • In Buc-ee's complaint, the chain argues that the animalistic logo is too similar to its own – a toothy beaver wearing a red ballcap inside a bright yellow circle.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 6 May 2026
  • The song’s almost animalistic sensuality is miles away from the safe choices Skye has made—or been asked to make—until now.
    Cameron Cook, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Feral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feral. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

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