as in brutality
a very fierce or violent quality; the quality or state of being ferocious
the ferocity of the attack The ferocity of the backlash took them by surprise.
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Recent Examples of ferocity
Raimi, in his first foray into horror since 2009’s Drag Me to Hell, attacks the material with a joyous ferocity that proves infectious.
—
Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
At one point, the arching filament detached from one of its anchor points on the sun and launched out into space, blown by the ferocity of the solar wind.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Gates has a preternatural knack for cloaking vulnerability in ferocity, being relatable and aspirational all in one.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 23 Jan. 2026
Yet Auburn still plays with the ferocity and pace Bruce Pearl instilled in his teams during his 31 seasons as a head coach.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ferocity
Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
At one point, the arching filament detached from one of its anchor points on the sun and launched out into space, blown by the ferocity of the solar wind.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Gates has a preternatural knack for cloaking vulnerability in ferocity, being relatable and aspirational all in one.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 23 Jan. 2026
Yet Auburn still plays with the ferocity and pace Bruce Pearl instilled in his teams during his 31 seasons as a head coach.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ferocity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ferocity
Noun
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The sly blend of beauty and brutality is also apparent in the film’s sound design.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
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The protagonist, Frannie’s, story begins in a plantation in Jamaica, the brutality of which is chillingly evoked, but by moving much of the novel’s action to London, Sara Collins helps show just how tightly interwoven Black Caribbean history is with the history of the UK.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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One has simply grown so accustomed to his cruelty that, in an episode with so many other people acting on their worst impulses, Stephen stands out for momentarily acting on a good one.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
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Gray faces 29 charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, and multiple counts of second-degree cruelty to children.—
La'Tasha Givens,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Here, sea level rise is accelerating at some of the most extreme rates on Earth, while hurricanes increasingly are swirling ashore with an unprecedented ferociousness.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The guy was a sleaze, but there’s a pretty big gap between sleaziness and murderousness.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
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His mother bequeathed to him her fierceness.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Newsom’s allies attribute much of this to the governor’s fierceness in the redistricting efforts.—
Amie Parnes,
The Hill,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ferocity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ferocity. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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