Synonyms of savage

savage 1 of 3

noun

1

as in brute

a mean, evil, or unprincipled person

what kind of savage would hurt a baby?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brute
• villain
• monster
• beast
• criminal
• devil
• offender
• wretch
• bandit
• thug
• rogue
• scoundrel
• assassin
• heavy
• reprobate
• rascal
• scapegrace
• gangster
• knave
• caitiff
• scamp
• miscreant
• hound
• nazi
• scalawag
• fiend
• no-good
• loser
• varlet
• evildoer
• perpetrator
• crook
• snake
• baddie
• rapscallion
• meanie
• blackguard
• trespasser
• outlaw
• rough
• viper
• culprit
• felon
• sinner
• transgressor
• serpent
• villainess
• cutthroat
• heel
• desperado
• tough
• lawbreaker
• ruffian
• perp
• wrongdoer
• rowdy
• cad
• malefactor
• hooligan
• con
• hoodlum
• convict
• racketeer
• lowlife
• jailbird
• bravo
• goon
• gunman
• stinker
• trash
• ne'er-do-well

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• innocent
• hero
• angel
• saint

2

as in barbarian

an uncivilized person

inhabitants of exotic lands were invariably portrayed by early travel writers as savages

Synonyms & Similar Words

• barbarian
• primitive
• heathen
• Neanderthal
• noble savage

savage

2 of 3

adjective

ˈsa-vij 

1

as in rude

not civilized

Tarzan is usually portrayed as a noble but savage warrior of the jungle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• barbarian
• rude
• wild
• primitive
• barbarous
• barbaric
• uncivilized
• Neanderthal
• natural
• uncultivated
• heathenish
• uncivil
• heathen
• crude
• rough
• coarse
• uncouth
• uncultured

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• civilized
• sophisticated
• humane
• enlightened
• cultured
• polite
• polished
• genteel
• refined
• urbane
• well-bred
• semicivilized

2

as in brutal

having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others

a savage attack on a helpless person

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brutal
• vicious
• cruel
• ruthless
• barbarous
• barbaric
• murderous
• merciless
• ferocious
• brute
• inhuman
• sadistic
• heartless
• inhumane
• fiendish
• truculent
• atrocious
• oppressive
• harsh
• hateful
• pitiless
• butcherly
• wanton
• malicious
• red in tooth and claw
• bloodthirsty
• sanguinary
• grim
• fell
• unfeeling
• malignant
• vindictive
• cutthroat
• spiteful
• malevolent
• hard-hearted
• sanguine
• malign
• draconian
• ironhearted
• catty
• nasty
• mean
• stonyhearted
• despiteful
• draconic
• heavy-handed
• hardhanded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sympathetic
• humane
• benign
• kind
• compassionate
• warm
• tender
• merciful
• benignant
• charitable
• kindhearted
• good-hearted
• lenient
• tenderhearted
• pitying
• peaceful
• peaceable
• pacific
• warmhearted
• clement

3

as in feral

living outdoors without taming or domestication by humans

savage beasts that seemed threatening to the tourists

Synonyms & Similar Words

• feral
• wild
• wilding
• untamed
• unbroken
• undomesticated
• brutal
• brute
• uncontrolled
• bestial
• barbarous
• uncivilized
• untrained
• unsubdued
• undocile

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• domestic
• tame
• domesticated
• broken
• tamed
• subdued
• controlled
• docile
• busted
• familiar
• submissive
• civilized
• gentled
• trained
• semidomesticated
• socialized
• halterbroken
• housebroken
• semicivilized

4

as in ferocious

violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition

early explorers avoided those areas that were rumored to be inhabited by savage natives

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ferocious
• vicious
• fierce
• ruthless
• merciless
• brute
• fell
• grim
• murderous
• menacing
• murdering
• militant
• warlike
• relentless
• belligerent
• bellicose
• barbaric
• wild
• assaultive
• pugnacious
• combative
• contentious
• bestial
• ravenous
• confrontational
• feisty
• uncivilized
• gladiatorial
• pitiless
• threatening
• in-your-face
• inhuman
• bloodthirsty
• bloody
• truculent
• scrappy
• quarrelsome
• sanguinary
• inhumane
• discordant
• argumentative
• disputatious
• implacable
• brawly
• take-no-prisoners
• unrelenting
• homicidal
• heartless
• blood-and-guts
• bare-knuckle
• chippy
• rapacious
• voracious
• wanton
• sanguine

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• mild
• gentle
• warm
• friendly
• congenial
• tame
• genial
• hearty
• cordial
• amicable
• benign
• kind
• submissive
• human
• compliant
• merciful
• compassionate
• peaceable
• peaceful
• unaggressive
• pacific
• companionable
• amiable
• civilized
• comradely
• humane
• warmhearted
• cultured
• complaisant
• obliging

savage

3 of 3

verb

as in to attack

to criticize harshly and usually publicly

book reviewers mercilessly savaged his latest novel

Synonyms & Similar Words

• attack
• slam
• scold
• insult
• abuse
• blast
• criticize
• assail
• vituperate
• jump (on)
• excoriate
• tie into
• curse
• scathe
• bash
• sail into
• trash
• harass
• lambaste
• castigate
• revile
• beat up on
• potshot
• affront
• belabor
• profane
• harangue
• light into
• harry
• blackguard
• berate
• execrate
• blaspheme
• reprimand
• slur
• libel
• imprecate
• disparage
• slander
• asperse
• whip
• belittle
• vilify
• rebuke
• chastise
• lash (out)
• chide
• fulminate
• lace (into)
• put down
• traduce
• bad-mouth

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• praise
• commend
• compliment
• hail
• laud
• acclaim

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of savage are barbarous, cruel, ferocious, and fierce. While all these words mean "showing fury or malignity in looks or actions," savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.

a savage criminal

Where would barbarous be a reasonable alternative to savage?

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

barbarous treatment of prisoners

When would cruel be a good substitute for savage?

The words cruel and savage can be used in similar contexts, but cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

the cruel jokes of schoolboys

When can ferocious be used instead of savage?

While in some cases nearly identical to savage, ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

a ferocious dog

When might fierce be a better fit than savage?

The synonyms fierce and savage are sometimes interchangeable, but fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.

fierce warriors

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of savage

Noun

One of the best Saturday morning traditions during college football season is not only watching ESPN's best program on the network, College Gameday, but seeing the hilarious, savage, and unique signs fans put together each week. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Manson and his followers evaded police for months but were eventually arrested and charged in the savage slayings in December 1969. — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Onscreen, this ethnic conflict allowed Ken-san and other kimonoed gangsters to be presented as pure, sincere, patriotic heroes fighting for traditional Japanese values against savage aliens as well as local, gun-toting yakuza. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

The Indian pilot who fought off a savage attack by his copilot and helped prevent an apparent hijack of a Flydubai plane heading to Israel with more than 170 people on board is being hailed as a hero. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

Verb

The urgency of the situation didn’t satiate the rage of pensioners and the public, who savaged Starmer’s government in the press. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 July 2026

Interest groups have capitalized on those fears, savaging any politician who dares to touch senior benefits or taxes. — Jessica Riedl, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026