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.

Mr. Pajak is appealing as the geeky, comic-book-obsessed Sam, while Ms. Bean does her best to enliven with her ferocious belt her rather bland concerned-mother role.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

But Chinese brands are also facing headwinds as a ferocious price war at home eats into profit margins.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

For SpotGamma, a provider of data and analytics for the derivatives market, the answer may be found in the ferocious action seen in stock-linked options of late.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

"It was the first time in 30 years we witnessed such ferocious floods," Indrani's husband Ravichandran added.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Hunters will tell you that a moose is a wily and ferocious forest creature.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Vocabulary lists containing ferocious

A Wrinkle in Time

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Tangerine

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

List 10

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!