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Synonyms

ferocious

American  
[fuh-roh-shuhs] / fəˈroʊ ʃəs /

adjective

  1. savagely fierce, as a wild beast, person, action, or aspect; violently cruel.

    a ferocious beating.

    Synonyms:
    rapacious
  2. extreme or intense.

    a ferocious thirst.


ferocious British  
/ fəˈrɒsɪtɪ, fəˈrəʊʃəs /

adjective

  1. savagely fierce or cruel

    a ferocious tiger

    a ferocious argument

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See fierce.

Other Word Forms

  • ferociously adverb
  • ferociousness noun
  • ferocity noun
  • nonferocious adjective
  • nonferociously adverb
  • nonferociousness noun
  • unferocious adjective
  • unferociously adverb

Etymology

Origin of ferocious

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin ferōc-, stem of ferōx “savage, fierce” ( fer(us) “wild” ( feral 1, fierce ) + -ōx “having such an appearance”; akin to eye ( def. ), oculus ( def. ), -opsis ) + -ious

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.

But the nonchalance of the sapphic romance portrayed in the video for 2025’s “First Luv,” and the ferocious rapping of “Shagidi” show this is an ambitious band with influence and inventiveness, too.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Gyllenhaal zips between tones and styles with a ferocious abandon.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

A ferocious turning of the screw against a shell-shocked team.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

“We have never seen a demand cycle like what we are experiencing now in the AI/datacenter infrastructure space,” wrote JPMorgan analyst Stephen Tusa, calling the current environment the “most ferocious we have ever seen.”

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

I inched forward one more step and gave a ferocious flap.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson