1
as in wild
living outdoors without taming or domestication by humans
animal experts discourage homeowners from trying to adopt feral animals as pets
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brute
having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal
a novel that reveals just how thin the veneer of civilization is and how feral we are at bottom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in animal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of feral
Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
Measures to address the overpopulation of feral hogs A variety of policies and actions have been taken in Texas, with varying degrees of success.
—Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for feral
Adjective
The Ensuing Search for Mom (and Mom) Both mother cats are feral regulars at the Lowe’s Garden Center, and both bolted when the rescue operation began.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
Measures to address the overpopulation of feral hogs A variety of policies and actions have been taken in Texas, with varying degrees of success.
—Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun
Showrunner Sam Levinson brought his own ideas, too, encouraging the team to move beyond the whimsical and the experimental into the feral.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for feral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feral
Adjective
-
So much of marketing now that happens on the internet is this wild volume game where people are essentially spamming.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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But even wild gusts couldn’t keep these top acts down at the three-day event, which had people flocking to the Mane Stage to see headliners Cody Johnson (Friday), Lainey Wilson (Saturday) and Post Malone (Sunday).—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Here, classic lemon bars call upon the brute strength of two whole lemons to embolden the custard with a Lemonhead-like flavor.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
-
The first attempt was brute force.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Manure from animals that don’t consume meat (rabbits, cows, horses) is fine, but do not use waste from carnivores.—
Jessica Damiano,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana donated $500,000 towards the construction, and the city is using $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds and remaining funds from Gary community development and animal shelter allocations to pay for the project.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This experience prioritizes the animals’ wellbeing by focusing on increasing the population, collecting data, and working with experts who have success in re-wilding.—
Jack Tydeman,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In Oddity, Darcy (Carolyn Bracken) is driven entirely by grief over the brutal murder of her twin sister.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
-
Demand for EVs in China is slowing after the government trimmed consumer subsidies and perks, and there’s no end in sight to a brutal price war as a crowded field of EV rivals jostle to outperform and undercut one another.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Abby’s Magical Beasties, where one of the beasties goes missing, and Abby must problem-solve.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
3 Nov. 2025
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In a horrific twist, Kasumi (Kana Hanazawa) wakes up way too early — and thus has to battle the ferocious beasties to survive.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This time playing an underling rather than a boss, Hoskins gave one of the best performances of his career in what remains a high point for Jordan as well, a lyrical and poignant yet savage film noir filled with regret, rage, and unrequited love.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
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The famed African American journalist investigated lynchings across the South and wrote about the savage incidents that the white press had already explained away.—
Case Thorp,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The song’s almost animalistic sensuality is miles away from the safe choices Skye has made—or been asked to make—until now.—
Cameron Cook,
Pitchfork,
22 Apr. 2026
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There are nods to Linda Blair’s Regan in the sludgy projectile vomit that pours out of Katie, as well as the animalistic scampering, bodily contortions and levitation.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Feral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feral. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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