violence
noun
vi·o·lence
ˈvī-lən(t)s 
ˈvī-ə-
1
a
: the use of physical force so as to injure, abuse, damage, or destroy
b
: an instance of violent treatment or procedure
2
: injury by or as if by distortion, infringement, or profanation : outrage
3
a
: intense, turbulent, or furious and often destructive action or force
the violence of the storm
b
: vehement feeling or expression : fervor
also
: an instance of such action or feeling
c
: a clashing or jarring quality : discordance
4
: undue alteration (as of wording or sense in editing a text)
Examples of violence in a Sentence
They need to learn how to settle their arguments without resorting to violence.
movies filled with sex and violence
The violence of the storm caused great fear.
Recent Examples on the Web
The committee ultimately amended the bill to remove vehicular homicide as a crime of violence.
—
Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Continue reading … DOUBLE STANDARD — ‘Squad’ member ripped for calling evictions an ‘act of violence.
—FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Ripple effect The high cost of fuel is also rippling across a supply chain already hammered by surging gang violence.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Attacks like these are part of a long-running cycle of violence in north-central Nigeria, where disputes over land and grazing between mostly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farming communities frequently escalate into deadly clashes.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for violence
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Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Continue reading … DOUBLE STANDARD — ‘Squad’ member ripped for calling evictions an ‘act of violence.
—FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Ripple effect The high cost of fuel is also rippling across a supply chain already hammered by surging gang violence.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Attacks like these are part of a long-running cycle of violence in north-central Nigeria, where disputes over land and grazing between mostly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farming communities frequently escalate into deadly clashes.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for violence
Cite this Entry
“Violence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violence. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
violence
noun
vi·o·lence
ˈvī-ə-lən(t)s
1
: the use of force in a way that harms a person or property
2
: great force or energy especially of a destructive kind
the violence of the storm caused great fear
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