1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the ferocious appetite that athletic teenagers have been known to display
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2
as in fierce
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
ferocious forest fires threatened to destroy hundreds of homes in the scrubland
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3
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
the animal is known as a ferocious predator
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4
as in frantic
marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity
after a day of ferocious up-and-down trading, the stock market ended up down 300 points
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ferocious
With Duran out from in front of the Green Monster, a spot opens up for Anthony and his ferocious bat.
—
Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Both fish are famed for their sharp teeth and ferocious bites.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
America, then, was visible to Fuller as the ferocious winds destroyed the vessel.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
The Thunder are deep, play ferocious defense and have a star in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who embraces the big moment.
—Bob Harkins, New York Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ferocious
Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Both fish are famed for their sharp teeth and ferocious bites.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
America, then, was visible to Fuller as the ferocious winds destroyed the vessel.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
The Thunder are deep, play ferocious defense and have a star in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who embraces the big moment.
—Bob Harkins, New York Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ferocious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ferocious
Adjective
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Drilling defense: Every day at practice, the Broncos execute intense, one-on-one, full-court defensive slide drills.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 June 2025
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There were times when the twin drama got too intense.—
Maris Kreizman,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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The Supreme Court cases that set off the fiercest conflicts among the justices aren’t always the hot-button ones.—
Dan McLaughlin,
National Review,
25 June 2025
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And competition is fierce: Waymo has elite tech, Amazon’s Zoox is quietly advancing, and China’s Baidu is pushing fast in its home market.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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And when Paul manages to elude his overseers and explore the surrounding area — spurring a frantic search, the menacing tenor of which raises Lise’s hackles — the movie effectively becomes a prison drama, with the trio’s eventual interviewee depicted as a shadowy warden who can decide their fate.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2025
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When Nemo strays away from his reef and gets lost in the big open ocean, his frantic father teams up with the ever-forgetful Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) to find him.—
Meg Walters,
EW.com,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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Meta is also making major investments in geothermal technology as a less fossil fuel–intensive way to generate power.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
19 June 2025
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Apex scavengers are disproportionately affected by activities like intensive livestock production, land use changes and the wildlife trade.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Swart said another giveaway is the hotel accommodations that are arranged for violent rioters.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2025
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The appellate panel found Trump likely satisfied the legal threshold under Section 10 of the U.S. Code, and sided with the administration’s argument that local law enforcement had failed to contain violent attacks on federal agents and property.—
Daniel Hunt,
Sacbee.com,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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This approach costs three times more than housing people and creates a vicious cycle — incarceration increases homelessness risk by destroying community connections and employment prospects.—
Mahdi E Diab,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
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Of course, no conversation about Yellowjackets season 3 would be complete without a deep dive into Shauna's vicious throw down with Swank's Melissa — during which Shauna rips a chunk of flesh off Melissa's arm with her teeth and forces her to eat it.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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But the Thunder weathered the Pacers’ furious comeback bid on Monday, with Jalen Williams scoring 11 of his game-high 40 points in the fourth.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2025
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Georgia’s roommate Cooper (perhaps a production plant) then goes and tells Ava, who’s furious and, in turn, tells Riley.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ferocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ferocious. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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