feral

adjective

fe·ral ˈfir-əl

ˈfer-;

ˈfe-rəl

Synonyms of feral next

: of, relating to, or suggestive of a wild beast

feral teeth

feral instincts

: not domesticated or cultivated : wild

feral animals

: having escaped from domestication and become wild

feral cats

feral noun

Choose the Right Synonym for feral

brutal, brutish, bestial, feral mean characteristic of an animal in nature, action, or instinct.

brutal applies to people, their acts, or their words and suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling, or humanity.

a senseless and brutal war

brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct.

brutish stupidity

bestial suggests a state of degradation unworthy of humans and fit only for beasts.

bestial depravity

feral suggests the savagery or ferocity of wild animals.

the struggle to survive unleashed their feral impulses

Examples of feral in a Sentence

They led a feral existence. animal experts discourage homeowners from trying to adopt feral animals as pets

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Many feral cats rely on food scraps, garbage, or deliberate feeding by well-meaning individuals, which buffers them from natural selection pressures like starvation. —

Scott Travers, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024 Borisov artfully underplays the progression: He’s taken aback by her feral resistance, amused by her spirit, then really sees her. —

Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024 It is estimated that there are between 60 and 100 million stray and feral cats in the United States alone. —

Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024 Its stare narrowed, empty of anything but feral rage. —

Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for feral