savage 1 of 3

noun

Definition of savagenext
1
as in brute
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person what kind of savage would hurt a baby?

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2
as in barbarian
an uncivilized person inhabitants of exotic lands were invariably portrayed by early travel writers as savages

Synonyms & Similar Words

savage

2 of 3

adjective

ˈsa-vij How to pronounce savage (audio)
1
as in rude
not civilized Tarzan is usually portrayed as a noble but savage warrior of the jungle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others a savage attack on a helpless person

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in feral
living outdoors without taming or domestication by humans savage beasts that seemed threatening to the tourists

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in ferocious
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition early explorers avoided those areas that were rumored to be inhabited by savage natives

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

savage

3 of 3

verb

as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly book reviewers mercilessly savaged his latest novel

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word savage different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of savage are barbarous, cruel, ferocious, and fierce. While all these words mean "showing fury or malignity in looks or actions," savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.

a savage criminal

Where would barbarous be a reasonable alternative to savage?

Although the words barbarous and savage have much in common, barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people.

barbarous treatment of prisoners

When would cruel be a good substitute for savage?

The words cruel and savage can be used in similar contexts, but cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

the cruel jokes of schoolboys

When can ferocious be used instead of savage?

While in some cases nearly identical to savage, ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

a ferocious dog

When might fierce be a better fit than savage?

The synonyms fierce and savage are sometimes interchangeable, but fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.

fierce warriors

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of savage
Noun
One of the best Saturday morning traditions during college football season is not only watching ESPN's best program on the network, College Gameday, but seeing the hilarious, savage, and unique signs fans put together each week. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026 Manson and his followers evaded police for months but were eventually arrested and charged in the savage slayings in December 1969. — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The Indian pilot who fought off a savage attack by his copilot and helped prevent an apparent hijack of a Flydubai plane heading to Israel with more than 170 people on board is being hailed as a hero. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index weathered a savage 30% drawdown, has been choppily trendless for two months, then in recent days finally broke above its downtrend and surmounted the 50-day moving average. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
The urgency of the situation didn’t satiate the rage of pensioners and the public, who savaged Starmer’s government in the press. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 July 2026 Interest groups have capitalized on those fears, savaging any politician who dares to touch senior benefits or taxes. — Jessica Riedl, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for savage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for savage
  1. brute
  2. barbarian
  3. rude
  4. brutal
  5. feral
  6. ferocious
  7. attack
  8. villain
Noun
  • Most sportsmen wonder how any whitetail bucks, let alone a brute such as Kontras’, could have been so easily patterned.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The show’s depiction of Hugh as a family man has been much more sympathetic than the book’s description of him as a power-hungry brute.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of brute
Noun
  • In the absence of other forces, empires seldom succumb to a challenger or to barbarians at the gates.
    — NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026
  • So that, zombie- or indeed mummy-like, the barbarians can mimic imperial subjects enough to look human.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of barbarian
Adjective
  • While older generations may interpret limited eye contact, a flat expression or a pause before responding as rude, lazy or unprofessional, that might not be a younger person’s intent at all, Leahy said.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Bel glows with a kind of rude Californian health and goes once a week for chiropractic adjustments, including of her jaw.
    — Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of rude
Adjective
  • Now in his 25th year on television, Chuck has built a beloved media career through brutal honesty.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Although the decrease in shot volume wasn’t quite as dramatic, Giddey went 1-for-10 from the field and scored only two points in Wednesday’s brutal beatdown by the Raptors.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of brutal
Adjective
  • While uptight Elinor excels at hiding her feelings for the similarly taciturn Edward, Marianne goes wild (nearly feral, really) when new neighbor Willoughby saves her from physical injury (literally sweeping her off her feet and a wincing ankle).
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The murder of the family is graphic enough, but what happens to Ethan and Ivy is far more perverse, especially when Ivy’s apparently dead body is defiled by one of the feral desert gang members.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of feral
Adjective
  • One of the most celebrated objects from the India Museum is a mechanical wooden sculpture of a ferocious tiger gnawing at a British soldier’s throat.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Wilson rocked the stanchion with a ferocious dunk in transition in the fourth quarter, only to have his next attempt at a full-court sprint smacked away by Jamal Shead, leading to a Leonard 3-pointer on the other end.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of ferocious
Verb
  • Egypt's president sought to reassure the public that the country wouldn't attack Yemen, and that the military support is limited to defending Saudi territory.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Back in 2023, Stevens revealed he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves—and was working to relearn how to walk and use his hands.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Still, this villain’s origin story works better as a showcase for effects than anything tragic.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Directed by Grammy Award-winning filmmaker James Mackel, the visual is three-and-a-half minutes of spy stuff, our hero, dressed to impress, making short work of the many villains who lurk in her hotel.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of villain

Browse Nearby Words

savable
savage
savaged
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Cite this Entry

“Savage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/savage. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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