1
as in ferocious
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
a violent explosion that left several buildings seriously damaged
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
a violent thunderstorm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in frantic
marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity
our guest's imminent arrival provoked a violent effort to get the place cleaned up
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in aggressive
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
prone to violent denunciation of anyone who disagrees with her violent brushstrokes that were a trademark of the abstract artist
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of violent
There are concerns the gathering could trigger violent unrest.
—
ABC News, 14 June 2026
Dozens of people were arrested in New York City as celebrations for the Knicks' NBA championship turned violent and destructive, the NYPD said on Sunday.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 14 June 2026
First, play was allowed to restart, which was previously a hard stop on any VAR intervention — except violent conduct and spitting at someone.
—Ben Burrows, New York Times, 13 June 2026
After three nights of violent riots and a 5-mile protest march to City Hall, the Chicago Commission on Human Relations held a series of hearings on the plight of the city’s Latino residents, leading to policy changes in the city and new Puerto Rican cultural and support organizations.
—Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for violent
ABC News, 14 June 2026
Dozens of people were arrested in New York City as celebrations for the Knicks' NBA championship turned violent and destructive, the NYPD said on Sunday.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 14 June 2026
First, play was allowed to restart, which was previously a hard stop on any VAR intervention — except violent conduct and spitting at someone.
—Ben Burrows, New York Times, 13 June 2026
After three nights of violent riots and a 5-mile protest march to City Hall, the Chicago Commission on Human Relations held a series of hearings on the plight of the city’s Latino residents, leading to policy changes in the city and new Puerto Rican cultural and support organizations.
—Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for violent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for violent
Adjective
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It’s embedded in the lore of the city — the breakout pass, the bounding leap, the midair double clutch, the ferocious snarl.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
-
The outcome caps one of California’s most ferocious congressional primaries, a contest that reflected the broader struggle between the Democratic Party’s moderate and progressive wings.—
Mathew Miranda
June 9,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Thanks to more than 200 years of intense and virtuoso scientific work, what were once valid or at least plausible concerns and objections to vaccines have been overcome.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Whether Tuchel will, in fact, be able to produce a more intense high-pressing style this summer, given the climate and the dense schedule, is another matter.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
But listening to Magazine—their new 10-track, 11-minute album—that artful density becomes singular, swaying as much as whipping between its frantic ideas.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
12 June 2026
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The criteria include frantic efforts to avoid abandonment, having unstable relationships, identity disturbance, impulsive behavior, chronic feelings of emptiness, intense anger, emotional instability, paranoia or dissociation under stress, and recurrent suicidal behavior or self-harm.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
That was a fun one, with both teams staying aggressive throughout the match.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
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That more aggressive posture has been exemplified in Lewis George's smaller jousts with the mayor over housing and public safety policies, too.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
The discovery is so surprising because even though AGNs are rich with gas and dust — the building blocks of planets — the turbulent conditions within the disks wouldn't generally be considered ideal for forming planets.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
14 June 2026
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The weekend’s severe weather follows a turbulent stretch earlier this week, when severe weather placed 13 million people under flood watches and triggered widespread power outages.—
Christine Rapp,
NBC news,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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They were released later with ankle monitors and placed under an intensive supervision program requiring frequent check-ins at an ICE office in Portland.—
Carol Rose Little,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
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According to the company, Samsung’s HBM4E delivers a stable pin speed of 14 gigabits-per-second (Gbps), with performance scalable up to 16Gbps to support increasingly intensive data processing requirements.—
Thomas Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The roaring bassline slithers beneath a wavering flute note before the floor gives out, and the song begins its fast and furious descent.—
Kiana Mickles,
Pitchfork,
12 June 2026
-
Wildlife advocates are furious.—
Ted Williams,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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Use a 10-gallon container filled with rich, moist soil for vigorous growth and continuous fruit production, and set it next to a pot of nasturtiums, which attract essential pollinators.—
Blythe Copeland,
Martha Stewart,
12 June 2026
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Seven decades later that number has climbed to seventy-three, while those in the richest nations have surpassed an average of over fourscore years, a number the Bible reserves for only the most vigorous among us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Violent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/violent. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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