as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
the unthinkable savageness that must be required to torture a prisoner
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Recent Examples of savageness
Government should tame the savageness of man and make life in this world more gentle, not crueler.
—
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for savageness
Noun
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Just weeks ago, a jury found Colt's father, Colin, guilty of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and cruelty to children.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Staff,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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For Barbara, impending death does not inspire a moral awakening, and Rosenberg never gives the reader an origin story that would excuse her cruelty.—
Isle McElroy,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Crump is known for representing relatives of victims of high-profile police brutality cases.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
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Throughout, the camera lingers on Bobbi’s taut body and adonic profile; beauty and brutality are never far apart.—
Michael Snyder,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Savageness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/savageness. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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