ferocious
adjective
fe·ro·cious fə-ˈrō-shəs 
1
: exhibiting or given to extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality
a ferocious predator
the ferocious butchery of women and children
2
: extremely intense
ferocious heat
The competition among the students was ferocious.
ferociously adverb
ferociousness noun
Synonyms
- acute
- almighty
- blistering
- deep
- dreadful
- excruciating
- explosive
- exquisite
- fearful
- fearsome
- fierce
- frightful
- furious
- ghastly
- hard
- heavy
- heavy-duty
- hellacious
- intense
- intensive
- keen
- profound
- terrible
- vehement
- vicious
- violent
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
A ferocious wind swept the beach. The competition among the students was ferocious.
Recent Examples on the Web Still, winds were ferocious in places — speeds reached 109 mph (175 kph) on San Diego County's Cuyamaca Peak, the National Weather Service said. 
CBS News, 10 Sep. 2022 But the storm, driven by damaging winds that were less ferocious in other regions of the country, ripped into Louisiana with particular intensity. Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 27 Aug. 2022 Not only does Drake land some nice lines himself (gotta love a Yellowstone shout-out), but 21 Savage is absolutely ferocious on there, stealing the song with one of his greatest guest spots to date. Billboard Staff, Billboard, 28 June 2022 That's about the only part of the equation that's clear, along with more confirmation that the Crimson Tide's pass rush could be downright ferocious in the fall. Chase Goodbread, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2022 The performances are appropriately ferocious, Skarsgård's in particular. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2022 Kimbrel then walked Chris Taylor leading off the ninth, but the ferocious closer struck out Cody Bellinger, Albert Pujols and Smith to finish the Cubs' 17th no-hitter since 1880. Greg Beacham, Star Tribune, 25 June 2021 In San Antonio, weathering the second week of a heat wave that has been ferocious even by Texas standards, lower-income residents like Ms. Cruz-Perez are sometimes left with few options to relieve the misery. New York Times, 26 July 2022 First, Chris Durkin scored his first professional league goal since the 2020-2021 Belgian Juliper league season, smashing home Ola Kamara’s cross with a ferocious first-time hit into the top left corner a minute into stoppage time. Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022 See More
CBS News, 10 Sep. 2022 But the storm, driven by damaging winds that were less ferocious in other regions of the country, ripped into Louisiana with particular intensity. Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 27 Aug. 2022 Not only does Drake land some nice lines himself (gotta love a Yellowstone shout-out), but 21 Savage is absolutely ferocious on there, stealing the song with one of his greatest guest spots to date. Billboard Staff, Billboard, 28 June 2022 That's about the only part of the equation that's clear, along with more confirmation that the Crimson Tide's pass rush could be downright ferocious in the fall. Chase Goodbread, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2022 The performances are appropriately ferocious, Skarsgård's in particular. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2022 Kimbrel then walked Chris Taylor leading off the ninth, but the ferocious closer struck out Cody Bellinger, Albert Pujols and Smith to finish the Cubs' 17th no-hitter since 1880. Greg Beacham, Star Tribune, 25 June 2021 In San Antonio, weathering the second week of a heat wave that has been ferocious even by Texas standards, lower-income residents like Ms. Cruz-Perez are sometimes left with few options to relieve the misery. New York Times, 26 July 2022 First, Chris Durkin scored his first professional league goal since the 2020-2021 Belgian Juliper league season, smashing home Ola Kamara’s cross with a ferocious first-time hit into the top left corner a minute into stoppage time. Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin feroc-, ferox, literally, fierce looking, from ferus + -oc-, -ox (akin to Greek ōps eye) — more at eye
First Known Use
1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
ferocious
adjective
fe·ro·cious fə-ˈrō-shəs
: fierce sense 1, savage
a ferocious storm
a ferocious roar
ferocious
adjective
1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect the ferocious appetite that athletic teenagers have been known to display Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- intense
- fierce
- intensive
- terrible
- furious
- deep
- vicious
- violent
- heavy
- fearsome
- explosive
- acute
- profound
- vehement
- fearful
- frightful
- dreadful
- blistering
- exquisite
- ghastly
- almighty
- excruciating
- intensified
- hellacious
- heightened
- keen
- hard
- harsh
- heavy-duty
- aggravated
- concentrated
- severe
- enhanced
- accentuated
- deepened
- magnified
- stressed
- emphasized
- exhaustive
- thorough
- rigorous
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- moderate
- soft
- weak
- feeble
- light
- superficial
- shallow
- subdued
- qualified
- decreased
- eased
- moderated
- toned (down)
- diminished
- reduced
- lightened
- lessened
- abated
- alleviated
2
as in fierce
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity ferocious forest fires threatened to destroy hundreds of homes in the scrubland Synonyms & Similar Words
- fierce
- violent
- furious
- rabid
- turbulent
- vicious
- rough
- explosive
- brutal
- volcanic
- aggressive
- savage
- hot
- tempestuous
- convulsive
- tumultuous
- cyclonic
- paroxysmal
- stormy
- volatile
- blood-and-guts
- hostile
- pugnacious
- destructive
- knock-down-and-drag-out
- frantic
- barbarous
- contentious
- mad
- belligerent
- hammer-and-tongs
- antagonistic
- knock-down, drag-out
- bellicose
- truculent
- combative
- bang-bang
- frenzied
- assertive
- quarrelsome
- gladiatorial
- agitated
- combustible
- ruinous
- cataclysmic
- cataclysmal
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- peaceful
- peaceable
- nonviolent
- calm
- serene
- tranquil
- pacific
- unaggressive
- nonbelligerent
- halcyon
3
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition the animal is known as a ferocious predator Synonyms & Similar Words
- savage
- fierce
- vicious
- merciless
- ruthless
- fell
- brute
- grim
- menacing
- murderous
- relentless
- pugnacious
- militant
- feisty
- murdering
- belligerent
- warlike
- bellicose
- ravenous
- contentious
- combative
- wild
- confrontational
- assaultive
- bestial
- threatening
- gladiatorial
- scrappy
- truculent
- pitiless
- barbaric
- bloodthirsty
- unrelenting
- implacable
- take-no-prisoners
- argumentative
- chippy
- bare-knuckled
- disputatious
- quarrelsome
- inhuman
- bare-knuckles
- brawly
- bloody
- in-your-face
- sanguinary
- inhumane
- uncivilized
- voracious
- homicidal
- discordant
- heartless
- bare-knuckle
- blood-and-guts
- rapacious
- wanton
- sanguine
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- mild
- gentle
- tame
- friendly
- warm
- congenial
- genial
- unaggressive
- kind
- amicable
- compassionate
- hearty
- cordial
- benign
- merciful
- submissive
- amiable
- compliant
- human
- peaceful
- peaceable
- companionable
- warmhearted
- pacific
- humane
- comradely
- civilized
- complaisant
- cultured
- obliging
4
as in frantic
marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity after a day of ferocious up-and-down trading, the stock market ended up down 300 points Synonyms & Similar Words
- fierce
- frantic
- furious
- intense
- mad
- intensive
- violent
- frenzied
- frenetic
- rabid
- feverish
- delirious
- wild
- excessive
- vehement
- concentrated
- extreme
- crazed
- maniacal
- inordinate
- irrational
- exorbitant
- undue
- extravagant
- immoderate
- deranged
- crazy
- insane
- demented
- maniac
- unconscionable
- lavish
- lunatic
- high-pressured
- overweening
- overmuch
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- subdued
- calm
- quiet
- unperturbed
- placid
- peaceful
- tranquil
- serene
- moderate
- reasonable
- relaxed
- undisturbed
- untroubled
- easygoing
- temperate
- casual
- balanced
- sound
- sane
- low-pressure
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of ferocious are barbarous, cruel, fierce, and savage. While all these words mean "showing fury or malignity in looks or actions," ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.
a ferocious dog
Although the words barbarous and ferocious have much in common, barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people.
barbarous treatment of prisoners
While the synonyms cruel and ferocious are close in meaning, cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.
the cruel jokes of schoolboys
The meanings of fierce and ferocious largely overlap; however, fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.
fierce warriors
In some situations, the words savage and ferocious are roughly equivalent. However, savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.
a savage criminal