1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the ferocious appetite that athletic teenagers have been known to display
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2
as in fierce
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
ferocious forest fires threatened to destroy hundreds of homes in the scrubland
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3
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
the animal is known as a ferocious predator
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4
as in frantic
marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity
after a day of ferocious up-and-down trading, the stock market ended up down 300 points
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ferocious
Despite Gulf states’ efforts to avoid a regional conflict, the US – alongside Israel – launched a war against Iran, triggering ferocious retaliatory attacks across the Gulf and forcing regional governments to confront once again the question of what American protection really means.
—
Nic Robertson,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
In the film’s ferocious climax, Jim is shot but escapes with Selena and Hannah, and the story closes (28 days later) back in the countryside as a jet flies over and augurs their rescue.
—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
24 June 2026
That triggered an Israeli response, culminating in a ferocious campaign that felled much of Hezbollah’s leadership.
—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
Their final side battle was ferocious and flailing.
—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ferocious
Nic Robertson,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
In the film’s ferocious climax, Jim is shot but escapes with Selena and Hannah, and the story closes (28 days later) back in the countryside as a jet flies over and augurs their rescue.
—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
24 June 2026
That triggered an Israeli response, culminating in a ferocious campaign that felled much of Hezbollah’s leadership.
—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
Their final side battle was ferocious and flailing.
—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ferocious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ferocious
Adjective
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Indie Shakes managing director David Melville distills his production around scenes of intense conflict.
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As the planet warms, extreme heat events are becoming more common, intense and long-lasting.
Adjective
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The 2023 arrest of her then-10-year-old cousin for urinating in public brought fierce condemnation.
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For a party that prides itself on diversity, the clashes have exacerbated fierce debates over identity politics and long-standing rifts between progressives and moderates.
Adjective
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The Yellow Death has disfigured the population, and soldiers in white-and-red tunics serve the savage Duke of Tviot.
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Josefowicz, in her decathlon of a performance, brought Ligeti’s savage discontinuities to the surface.
Adjective
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From the frantic frenzy surrounding royal nuptials to the way the internet dissected every possible clue from Zendaya and Tom Holland before they were revealed to have officially tied the knot, weddings like these are a cultural event.
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On a remote Maine logging road, a couple out for a day of fishing unexpectedly encountered a black bear chasing a frantic moose calf toward their truck.
Adjective
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The jockeys take on months of intensive training in order to ride in the Ladies’ Race.
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On the flip side, semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most complex and energy-intensive industrial processes in the world, with emissions projected to reach 277 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent by 2030.
Adjective
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Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about violent weather, climate change and other news.
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English soccer fans have earned a reputation for violent hooliganism, hurling plastic chairs and brawling their way across the piazzas and boulevards of Europe.
Adjective
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This vicious machine chewed him up and spit him out in predictable fashion.
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The mood changed a bit when Tab Ramos took a vicious elbow to the side of his head and fractured his skull.
Adjective
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The Kang Kon was unveiled a month after the Choe Hyon in May 2025, but it was damaged during a botched launch at the northern port of Chongjin, prompting a furious response from Kim.
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Croatia still furious Despite the correct decision being made, Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić was far from happy, saying VAR had ruined the spirit of the game.
Cite this Entry
“Ferocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ferocious. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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