VIOLENTLY Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

violently

adverb

as in sharply

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 violently Even more students held their own protests across the country after police violently cracked down on thousands of protesters who tried to march into parliament on Monday. — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 25 July 2026 Firefighters in Spain said the blazes spread so fast and violently that they could not be tackled head on. — Mark Carlson, Fortune, 25 July 2026 The trauma would remain buried beneath a heavy shroud of silence and shame, resurfacing only decades later—almost violently breaking through—during a hypnosis session. — Olivier Bouchara, Vanity Fair, 24 July 2026 Holly returns to save her dad by violently stabbing and killing Crowley, but Voit decides to take the fall for Holly and is put back behind bars. — Joyce Eng, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026 Silver is thought to form when dying stars violently explode in supernovas. — Rahul Rao, Space.com, 23 July 2026 Tensions erupted in May 2020 when Indian and Chinese troops violently clashed at multiple points along the LAC, including near Pangong Tso, Chushul, Gogra, Hot Springs, and the Galwan river valley in the Ladakh region. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026 The headline stocks attracting the most attention are swinging around much more violently than the market itself. — Garth Friesen, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Last week, Women’s Aid Ireland reported that eight women have died violently so far this year, already overtaking the whole of 2025. — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 17 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for violently

Adverb

Even a deep black pencil can feel softer and more natural because the pigment doesn’t sit as sharply on top of the skin.

— Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026
Oil prices have surged more than 30% this month as fighting in the Middle East sharply escalates.

— Spencer Kimball,Chloe Taylor,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 23 July 2026

Definition of sharply

Adverb

Jason was hissing fiercely; Gordon, who projects a monastic calm, was trying to reason with the mother while batting her back each time the flap swung open.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
Beijing has so far avoided that framing, and is contending fiercely with Washington across the board.

— Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2026

Definition of fiercely

Adverb

The sides, like the sandwiches, are relentless in their richness—a bit of roasted-pineapple relish on the lechón dip lands about as forcefully as a Nerf dart against a howitzer.

— Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
Continue to alternate your legs, forcefully driving your knees up toward your chest.

— Jenessa Connor, Health, 17 July 2026

Definition of forcefully

Adverb

According to Russia’s defense ministry, Russian forces overnight struck down 133 Ukrainian drones over Russia, the Black Sea and Crimea, the peninsula that Moscow forcibly annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

— ABC News, ABC News, 26 July 2026
Advertisement Activist Sonam Wangchuk was then forcibly taken to hospital after 26 days of a hunger strike meant to bring attention to protesters’ demands.

— Philip Wang, Time, 25 July 2026

Definition of forcibly

Adverb

Angostura bitters Funnel Jigger or measuring cup Bring ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup water just to a boil, stirring vigorously until sugar dissolves.

— Al Culliton, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 July 2026
This means that feeding the right type of fertilizer is important to keep spiller plants growing vigorously.

— Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 22 July 2026

Definition of vigorously

Adverb

That so many teams were capable of winning races showed how well the crews performed, especially considering the breeze was again blowing strongly across the Solent, around 17 knots and sometimes gusting over 20.

— Andrew Rice, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Star first baseman Bryce Harper has strongly advocated for aggressive trade deadline moves, suggesting the team acquire expensive veterans.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026

Definition of strongly

Adverb

Plenty of his peers filled the void, none more energetically than Chesney, who has by now built a beachy brand that almost rivals Buffett’s.

— Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
There was also a large contingent of Iranian fans who energetically waved the nation’s current flag.

— Todd Harmonson, Oc Register, 16 June 2026

Definition of energetically

Browse Nearby Words

violent

violently

violinist

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Violently.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/violently. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of violently

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on violently

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

parochial

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

Popular in Wordplay

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes