1
as in brute
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
what kind of savage would hurt a baby?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in barbarian
an uncivilized person
inhabitants of exotic lands were invariably portrayed by early travel writers as savages
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in rude
not civilized
Tarzan is usually portrayed as a noble but savage warrior of the jungle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in feral
living outdoors without taming or domestication by humans
savage beasts that seemed threatening to the tourists
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
book reviewers mercilessly savaged his latest novel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of savage
The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 27 Jan. 2023
Russia has escalated its assault in the area in recent days, unleashing savage fighting that has underscored the high cost of the battle.
—Isabelle Khurshudyan, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2023
Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
This thrilling prequel stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa and Alyla Browne as young Furiosa, who is abducted by the savage warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) — leader of the Biker Horde — and spends the next decade in captivity plotting her revenge and escape.
—Charlotte Walsh, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
H. Jiahong Pan, Twin Cities, 1 Aug. 2025
Thus, even for only two hours, that pain feels unbothered by being savaged by American history's past, present and future.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for savage
Noun
Portland leaders and others in the metro area and Oregon joined a nationwide chorus Friday to condemn the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols as Memphis police released a video of his savage attack by officers.
—The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 27 Jan. 2023
Russia has escalated its assault in the area in recent days, unleashing savage fighting that has underscored the high cost of the battle.
—Isabelle Khurshudyan, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2023
Adjective
My father was a thirty-two-year-old tank commander who had crossed to occupied France shortly after D-Day, fought in the savage battle for Caen and then on through northern France.
—Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
This thrilling prequel stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa and Alyla Browne as young Furiosa, who is abducted by the savage warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) — leader of the Biker Horde — and spends the next decade in captivity plotting her revenge and escape.
—Charlotte Walsh, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
Somewhere in the not-too-distant future, two young friends — or perhaps cuddle buddies or lovers — accomplish missions throughout an underground metropolis savaged by capitalism to make ever-elusive rent, while facing flaky clients, bandits and low credit scores.
—H. Jiahong Pan, Twin Cities, 1 Aug. 2025
Thus, even for only two hours, that pain feels unbothered by being savaged by American history's past, present and future.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for savage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for savage
Noun
-
An extermination of the brutes in the Middle East, presided over by Obama’s successors, has been followed by a swift cancellation by Trumpian decree of the postracial age.—
Pankaj Mishra,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Each fits into typical RPG classes — with Armon being the close combat brute, Harlow the magical crowd control specialist, Rafa the agile rogue, and Vex serving as a summoner who calls on minions to do the dirty work.—
George Yang,
Rolling Stone,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Bautista will have the plum role of the immortal barbarian known as The Kurgen, who has been killing other immortals across the centuries in order to absorb their essence.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
-
This barbarian conceptualized this atrocity and brought it to reality.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
Your neighbors may even call you rude.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Crowd in New York has been bordered on rude; embarrassing!—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The scene, which was not in Stephenie Meyer's 2008 book that the movie was adapted from, raised eyebrows for its brutal killings of vampires Carlisle Cullen (Peter Facinelli) and Jasper Hale (Jackson Rathbone), as well as werewolves Seth (Booboo Stewart) and Leah Clearwater (Julia Jones).—
Jen Juneau,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
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In a new era of Steven Knight’s Peaky Blinders, the race to own Birmingham’s massive reconstruction project becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There are somewhere between 60 million to 100 million feral cats in the United States, rivaling the number of cozy pets.—
Rebecca van Laer
September 30,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The roughly 5-month-old kitten got a fresh start after he and his littermates were found living in a colony of feral cats.—
Simone Jasper,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In a competition bear-ly more ferocious, 12 chunky brown bears in Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve have been battling it out in one of the most cutthroat places on the planet – the internet.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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The numbers may not leap off the page, but one of Sunday’s most exciting clashes was the 60-minute chess match between the Detroit Lions’ run game and the Cleveland Browns’ ferocious defensive front.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the hands of editor Richard Mettler, some of those fragments serve montages that interlace how the tribes prepare to defend themselves with the way Jalabzeen readies himself to attack.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Having attacked the edge of the six-yard box, Rodon has to back-pedal and meet the ball, again, wide of the goal.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Currently, Wiig is in her villain era.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
-
With Ka-young’s help, Iblis is able to destroy the Flower of Eternal Life, which had allowed Khalid to live forever (at least until this point), and the villain fades to dust.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Savage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/savage. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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