Definitions

ferocious

[fuh-roh-shuhs] / fəˈroʊ ʃəs /

ADJECTIVE

violent, barbaric

Synonyms

STRONGEST

brutal brutish cruel fierce frightful merciless murderous ravenous relentless ruthless savage vehement vicious voracious

WEAK

barbarous bloodthirsty fell feral grim implacable inhuman inhumane lupine pitiless predatory rapacious ravening sanguinary tigerish truculent unmerciful unrestrained untamed wild wolfish

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm compassionate considerate gentle giving kind merciful nice pleasant satisfied sympathetic tame

WEAK

innocent mild nonviolent tender

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But if you would like to set a social media thread ablaze with ferocious debate, this question will never let you down.

From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026

She celebrated with a clenched fist after a ferocious smash secured a break for a 4-1 lead.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

Claude Lemieux, the four-time Stanley Cup champion known for his ferocious, hard-hitting style and clutch play in big games, has died.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

OpenAI, which closed a $122 billion funding round earlier this year, has released a competing tool called Codex, and the two companies are locked in a ferocious competition for business users.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

You’ve never seen a girl so fierce and ferocious.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

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