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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in animal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of feral
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 22 May 2025
Image Since 2015, Père-Lachaise has been completely pesticide-free and, thanks in part to a sterilization program for feral cats, the ecosystem is booming.
—Sadie Stein, New York Times, 15 May 2025
It is estimated that there are currently between 60 and 100 million stray and feral cats across America, and most of them live their life in the streets without ever even making it to an animal shelter.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
The digital nomad stereotype persists: feral twenty-somethings earning $2,000 monthly in Thailand.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for feral
Adjective
The feral but resourceful Lilo struggles to make friends, and wishes for a companion on a shooting star.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 22 May 2025
Image Since 2015, Père-Lachaise has been completely pesticide-free and, thanks in part to a sterilization program for feral cats, the ecosystem is booming.
—Sadie Stein, New York Times, 15 May 2025
It is estimated that there are currently between 60 and 100 million stray and feral cats across America, and most of them live their life in the streets without ever even making it to an animal shelter.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
The digital nomad stereotype persists: feral twenty-somethings earning $2,000 monthly in Thailand.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for feral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feral
Adjective
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From immersive fine dining in an aquarium to ziplining at the UAE’s highest peak, these 10 travel experiences showcase the country’s wild beauty, cultural richness and knack for world-class luxury for both first-time and frequent visitors.—
Natasha Amar,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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Iñárritu also used his Cannes visit as a soft launch for his next wild experiment, with Tom Cruise.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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Greer has points in three of Florida’s past four games while still showcasing his brute force on the ice (33 hits in nine games).—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
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Tactics remained an afterthought, chucked aside in favor of brute force and the long ball.—
Pablo Maurer,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Noun
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Since weed seeds are so easily distributed by wind and animals, every square inch of soil inevitably contains hundreds of seeds.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2025
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The Elk & Bison Prairie, located within the 17,000-acre Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area, offers a front-row view of these majestic animals.—
Symiah Dorsey,
Southern Living,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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Lori survives the brutal events of prom night, but not without a fight.—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
24 May 2025
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Amid the brutal cuts across the federal government under the Trump administration, perhaps one of the most gutting is the loss of experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who respond to lead poisoning in children.—
John Timmer,
ArsTechnica,
23 May 2025
Noun
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In this movie, their most formidable foes are a hellish bunch of beasties disguised as a rival boy band.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
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Set in a fictional, secluded land of mountains and lakes, Ochi follows a plucky teen named Yuri (played by Helena Zengel), who’s been raised by her father to fear and hunt the reclusive little beasties called ochi.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Noun
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Squirrels aren’t the only critters that can cause electrical issues.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
13 May 2025
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Most critter orgs and hunting groups seem to be trying to work with the administration, after all, since many hunters voted for Trump and Republicans for Congress.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Stone Age hunter-gatherers may have been particularly interested in sperm whale skeletons, because the creatures are the only toothed species of the group, featuring long, straight jaw bones—perfect for crafting hunting tools, the researchers write in the paper.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 May 2025
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The vulpine creature was first described by Charles Darwin in 1834 on Chile’s Chiloé Island.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Feral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feral. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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