1
as in brutality
the use of brute strength to cause harm to a person or property
an act of violence caused the window to be shattered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intensity
the quality or state of being forceful (as in expression)
taken aback by the violence of her denial of any wrongdoing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in emotion
depth of feeling
some people were taken aback by the violence with which the magazine's art critic attacked the exhibition
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 violence
Plus, Baltimore’s crime statistics are dropping despite continuing incidents of violence.
—
Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 16 May 2026
Schlöndorff sympathized with the anger driving the student movements of the time and pushed back against those condemning the radicals, including German left-wing terrorist group the Red Army Faction, who were using violence to achieve political ends.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
The researchers used two datasets; one tracks global assistance programs, and the other tracks incidents of violence across the same areas.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 15 May 2026
The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Bill Kapri, was arrested on charges of resisting an officer/obstruct without violence and attempting to flee law enforcement on Thursday, May 14, according to records from the Broward County Sheriff's Office viewed by PEOPLE.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for violence
Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 16 May 2026
Schlöndorff sympathized with the anger driving the student movements of the time and pushed back against those condemning the radicals, including German left-wing terrorist group the Red Army Faction, who were using violence to achieve political ends.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
The researchers used two datasets; one tracks global assistance programs, and the other tracks incidents of violence across the same areas.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 15 May 2026
The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Bill Kapri, was arrested on charges of resisting an officer/obstruct without violence and attempting to flee law enforcement on Thursday, May 14, according to records from the Broward County Sheriff's Office viewed by PEOPLE.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for violence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for violence
Noun
-
But no matter the brutality, Allin was able to withstand it all.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
The brutality of Butcher (Karl Urban) comes under the spotlight again, the episode questioning if the ends really justify the means—killing Homelander might complete Butcher’s transformation into a monster.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Unfortunately, the researchers were unable to measure the intensity directly, but theoretical estimates suggest the team may have boosted the laser intensity to 10^23 W per cm2.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
-
Though South Florida usually sees wildfire activity in May, the speed and intensity of fires have been exacerbated by the dry conditions.—
Megan Vaz,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Some instances of the passionate emotion veer into more bloody endeavors with thrillers like Obsession and Lurker.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
And they’re also used as form of therapy for visitors to release complex emotions.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The 49ers were limited by a plethora of injuries in those games, but the Seahawks had an elite defense, regardless.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Following Parsons’ injury, the Packers lost five consective games to end their season.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
However, there is broad consensus that the surge, fueled by enthusiasm around artificial intelligence, can’t last forever and California must address its structural deficit, with spending outpacing revenue collection.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
-
The morning kicked off with a burst of energy from special guests who highlighted the community’s enthusiasm for hands-on product experiences and quality verification, while the afternoon took on a festive air with lively appearances and crowd engagement.—
Lucy Jones
May 12,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Brown is expected to face multiple charges, including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, along with weapons offenses.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
-
After being medically cleared at a hospital, Villalobos-Espinoza was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of vehicle theft, felony evading, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and an enhancement for prior theft convictions.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Bears display aggressiveness towards visitors Aggressive bears have been a concern in the park since April, with the animals chasing people and even biting them.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
The two have been engaging in a subtle war of online words with fans noting passive aggressiveness to the max.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Maika Monroe may have starred in multiple defining horror films of the last 10-plus years, from her breakout in It Follows to the recent box-office smash Longlegs, but no amount of scream-queen credits could prepare her for the gory terror of Victorian Psycho.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
Trump later slapped the state-sponsor of terror designation back on at the start of his second term.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Violence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/violence. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
