ferocious
Americanadjective
-
savagely fierce, as a wild beast, person, action, or aspect; violently cruel.
a ferocious beating.
- Synonyms:
- rapacious
-
extreme or intense.
a ferocious thirst.
adjective
Synonym Usage
See fierce.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ferocious
First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin ferōc-, stem of ferōx “savage, fierce” ( fer(us) “wild” ( see feral 1, fierce) + -ōx “having such an appearance”; akin to eye ( def. ), oculus ( def. ), -opsis ) + -ious
Explanation
The adjective ferocious means more than merely angry or active. Picture the wildest, most savage animal you can imagine — it's a ferocious beast. Although we most often think of the word ferocious as referring to wild animals, it can also be used to describe anything characterized by an extremely high level of energy or even violence. For example, you might endure ferocious winds during a hurricane and fans at a soccer match often display a ferocious devotion to their team.
Vocabulary lists containing ferocious
A Wrinkle in Time
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Tangerine
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List 10
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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.
Our critic raved that the opera “is a ferocious work, and the riveting new production by director Louisa Proske . . . did not hold back.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
With some formal firefighter training and background checks, volunteers commit to following fire officials’ orders, helping residents evacuate and putting out spot fires, while leaving the ferocious front-line flames to the professionals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Such is the script that a trip to what promises to be a ferocious Anfield - a place Guardiola always described as difficult - is next.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Investors see big opportunity in ferocious 2026 bond-market rout.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
The sky was a fierce, burning blue, the trees ferocious shades of red and yellow.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
