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.
And yet there was still a sense that Hollywood underserved her canny ability to appear both ferocious and vulnerable, whether as a horror heroine in “Scream 4” or a superpowered cheerleader on “Heroes.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Marsh kick-started the innings with his trademark ferocious strength, regularly clubbing the ball down the ground, and by the time he had reached a 24-ball half-century, Rickelton had only faced five deliveries himself.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Blissfully ferocious and never short on words from the stage, frontwoman Missy Dabice didn’t get to say as much as she wanted to between songs due to the brevity of a festival set.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Extreme weather in the days before the final including ferocious storms, plus flooding and smoke from Canadian forest fires distracted many in the Big Apple.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
The ferocious winter bear from his nightmare flashed into Jackson’s mind.
From "I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964" by Lauren Tarshis
Definitions 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.
