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
Ted Williams,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
Both are overpopulated with feral and stray animals due to this lack of population management.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for feral
Adjective
M-44s are designed to kill coyotes, foxes and feral dogs that sometimes prey on sheep and newborn cattle.
—
Ted Williams,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
Both are overpopulated with feral and stray animals due to this lack of population management.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 June 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
-
The new iteration sees The Cat in the Hat, voiced by Bill Hader, fighting for his job as a professional mischief-maker brought in to cheer up lackluster children after his wild antics go to far.
-
Situated in western Canada’s Alberta province, a tapestry of the Rocky Mountains serves as the backdrop across this wild frontier of limestone giants and ancient glaciers.
Adjective
-
Unlike modern fighters that balance agility, stealth, and sensor fusion, the MiG-25 was engineered around brute force.
-
Similarly, history’s greatest leaders understand the absolute limits of brute force.
Noun
-
The ranch is home to a couple of hundred animals, including impalas, Nubian ibexes and an antelope found in Central Africa.
-
Even a 1995 review in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition described phytic acid as a natural antioxidant tied to lower colon cancer risk and lower cholesterol in animals.
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.
Adjective
-
The New York Mets are in disarray thanks to a brutal start to what was supposed to be a promising season.
-
In 1972, a year after a brutal conflict—one in which India helped with the rebirth of the eastern wing of Pakistan as Bangladesh—New Delhi and Islamabad concluded an agreement that resumed limited trade.
Noun
-
There be beasties beyond US Route 93, bigger than my vision could handle.
-
My bathtub seems to be a place these cute beasties like to hang out.
Adjective
-
For my microgeneration, the disillusionment crept in with the savage failure of the Iraq War.
-
Set in the fictional lands of Westeros, House of the Dragon depicts a savage succession struggle within House Targaryen and a resulting civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons.
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.
-
The song’s almost animalistic sensuality is miles away from the safe choices Skye has made—or been asked to make—until now.
Cite this Entry
“Feral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feral. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
