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Synonym Chooser

How is the word ferocious different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of ferocious are barbarous, cruel, fierce, and savage. While all these words mean "showing fury or malignity in looks or actions," ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

a ferocious dog

When is barbarous a more appropriate choice than ferocious?

Although the words barbarous and ferocious have much in common, barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people.

barbarous treatment of prisoners

When can cruel be used instead of ferocious?

While the synonyms cruel and ferocious are close in meaning, cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

the cruel jokes of schoolboys

Where would fierce be a reasonable alternative to ferocious?

The meanings of fierce and ferocious largely overlap; however, fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.

fierce warriors

When would savage be a good substitute for ferocious?

In some situations, the words savage and ferocious are roughly equivalent. However, savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.

a savage criminal

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 ferocious The Cowboys rushed for 117 yards and allowed the one Parsons sack (with no yardage lost) against a ferocious Green Bay front. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025 But now Minnesota has another veteran QB in Carson Wentz to pair with its ferocious defense. John Shipley, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025 Long ago, this ferocious fly was endemic in the US and stymied the livestock industry. Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025 The Aussie playing the ferocious creature on the FX drama opens up about his time in the suit. Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ferocious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ferocious
Adjective
  • During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Safdie perceptively locates the protagonist’s troubling inner contradictions—the atavistic fury that drives him to compete and the intense self-control that competition demands—but dramatizes such outer crises as opioid addiction and conflict with his girlfriend (Emily Blunt) only schematically.
    Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • As Auberge continues expanding into urban markets and deepening its European presence, the challenge will be maintaining that fierce independence at scale.
    Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Rescuers are struggling to reach at least 200 hikers trapped in a Mount Everest valley by an unexpectedly fierce weekend snowstorm that pounded the mountain with snow and heavy rain, according to Chinese state media CCTV.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • McBride sets the political context for Swift’s savage indignation by noting that 1727–1729 saw three successive harvest failures in Ireland.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The singer went viral at Monday night’s show for her seemingly savage reaction to Tori Kelly and Muni Long’s tribute performance.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Then a frantic 19-point rally in the closing minutes made the final score feel closer than most of the night’s action let on.
    Manny Navarro, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Getting these fragrance gifts early comes with the benefits of beating the frantic shopping rush and winning at Christmas.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Over the next three days, Stafford and Hanton will lead you through an intensive, interactive bushcraft school.
    Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 5 Oct. 2025
  • In India, the government has begun pushing to decarbonize the iron and steel sector, one of the world’s most emissions-intensive industries, driven as much by resource and pollution pressures as by diplomacy.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • While Memphis has seen high numbers of violent crimes such as homicides and carjackings in recent years, Democratic and Republican officials have noted decreases this year in some crime categories.
    Devon M. Sayers, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Even so, to take on one of the most famous women in history — and through a lens so bloody and violent — is a mighty tall order.
    Shirley Halperin, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The worry with a dog like Chey is the fact they could be locked in a vicious cycle.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The show follows Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam), an unassuming and odd man, working his family’s farm under the watchful eye of his hateful and vicious mother, Augusta (Laurie Metcalf).
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Phillies had momentum during a furious comeback that attempted to atone for seven innings of nothingness.
    Matt Gelb, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • And my wife is furious at me for that, just because of his actions.
    Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ferocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ferocious. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ferocious

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