Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

violently

American  
[vahy-uh-luhnt-lee, vahy-luhnt-] / ˈvaɪ ə lənt li, ˈvaɪ lənt- /

adverb

  1. in a way that involves uncontrolled or destructive force.

    He struck the table violently with his clenched fist and shouted for more.

    Dramatic video shows soldiers violently removing voters from polling stations.

  2. in an intense or extreme way.

    He was violently ill after ten minutes, but soon recovered fully.

    We were awoken early in the morning when the house began shaking violently.


Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of violently

violent ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Now, with the labor market showing promising signs, the rotation trade that violently gripped the stock market before the Iran war looks to be back on — just with a slightly updated look.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 7, 2026

With swaths of Congolese territory violently contested, efforts to contain the outbreak are severely constrained, according to health officials.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

According to this theory, stars above a certain size should explode so violently that they are destroyed completely instead of collapsing into black holes.

From Science Daily • May 8, 2026

The defendant, of Church Street, Appley Magna, told the court he was in fear of Darke, who he said was not helping him to his feet, but had grabbed him "violently".

From BBC • May 7, 2026

Before he could reach it, the door to the chicken coop flew open violently, as if kicked.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "violently" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com