as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
a study of the savagery shown by soldiers in wartime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of savagery
To visit these places is to be shocked anew by the savagery that was the defining trait of the Jim Crow South — and the astonishing courage of the people who took part in the struggle for freedom and justice.
—
Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
Here, Andor repositions Saw from someone who is unusual because of his savagery and instability to someone who could only turn out this way because of what he’s lived through.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2025
Known for its savagery and the popularity level of both fighters at the time.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Slaveholders first developed the trope in the 1790s in their representations of the emergent nation of Haiti, framing it as a dangerous site of social experimentation and savagery where Black freedom would inexorably lead to white death.
—Time, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for savagery
Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
Here, Andor repositions Saw from someone who is unusual because of his savagery and instability to someone who could only turn out this way because of what he’s lived through.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2025
Known for its savagery and the popularity level of both fighters at the time.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Slaveholders first developed the trope in the 1790s in their representations of the emergent nation of Haiti, framing it as a dangerous site of social experimentation and savagery where Black freedom would inexorably lead to white death.
—Time, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for savagery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for savagery
Noun
-
Conversely, Colum, devastated by his disability, has a pension for cruelty.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
31 July 2025
-
An Indiana woman arrested last month for animal cruelty while on probation in a separate animal torture case should return to prison, a judge ruled on July 29.—
Ryan Murphy,
IndyStar,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
For Sarah, eros serves as a powerful conduit for the divine, but the divine is not without brutality nor chaos.—
Terry Nguyen
July 23,
Literary Hub,
23 July 2025
-
President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and their supporters are celebrating the brutality of the 3,000-bed detention facility that was hastily built in the Florida Everglades, one of the harshest natural environments in the United States.—
Time,
Time,
17 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Savagery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/savagery. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share