violently
Americanadverb
-
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.
-
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
Etymology
Origin of violently
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.
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
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
“We believe it also helps explain why narrative risk…has been whipsawing individual names more violently this year.”
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
However, after the collar levels reset next week, markets should react less violently to daily news.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 28, 2026
The boy clung to the rail with a death grip as the ship lurched violently in the storm.
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
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.
