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.
His 10 fours and six sixes were ferocious - reminiscent of former England batter Pietersen, the newest addition to this side's backroom staff.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
Navigating a career-threatening doping case, surviving the ferocious Eubank rivalry and acrimoniously splitting from long-time promoter Eddie Hearn transformed him from 'Nigel's boy' into one of British boxing's most polarising headliners.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
Worse, Acme is represented by John Cena’s ferocious defense attorney Buddy Crane, the former wrestler making full use of his cartoonish features: lantern jaw, perma-frown, and a bull neck thick enough for boulder-sized bolo ties.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
“The rhetoric was ferocious, but the punch less so,” said Daniel Fried, a former U.S. diplomat now at the Atlantic Council.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
But after letting Glenn run up the score to 40-0 in Glenn’s favor, Reggie came storming back, showing off the ferocious returns he’d put aside for the past two games.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
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.
