ferocity
gb/fɚˈɑsəti/ us/fɚˈɑsəti/
B2
English
~ 9200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
savage violence or aggression
Strong, wild, and often cruel violence or aggression, especially in fighting or attack.
Usage pattern:
the ferocity of [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'ferocity' with the adjective 'ferocious'. Remember: 'ferocity' is a noun (e.g., 'the ferocity of the dog'), while 'ferocious' is an adjective (e.g., 'a ferocious dog').
Synonyms
savagery (Emphasizes wild, uncivilized cruelty, often slightly stronger and more shocking than 'ferocity'.)
|
brutality (Stresses cruel and painful violence, especially toward people, more physical and concrete than 'ferocity'.)
|
aggressiveness (Focuses on the tendency to attack or confront; can be less violent and more general than 'ferocity'.)
Antonyms
gentleness (Highlights softness and kindness, the opposite of violent or cruel behavior.)
|
mildness (Suggests a lack of intensity or harshness in behavior or treatment.)
Collocations
the ferocity of the attack
|animal ferocity
|sheer ferocity
|known for his ferocity
|unleash ferocity
|with surprising ferocity
Themes
conflict
|violence
|behavior
|emotions
|animals
Examples
- The soldiers were shocked by the ferocity of the enemy’s counterattack.
- The lion’s ferocity made all the other animals back away in fear.
- The riot erupted with such ferocity that the police quickly lost control.
- Witnesses described the gang’s ferocity as unlike anything they had ever seen.
- The boxer’s ferocity in the ring intimidated every challenger.
Learner examples
- The dog showed great ferocity when it protected its owner.
- Everyone was afraid of the ferocity of the fighters.
- The ferocity of the attack left many people injured.
- They were surprised by the ferocity of his angry words.
- The lion’s ferocity kept the hunters at a distance.
Noun
B2
entity
2
extreme intensity of forces or events
Very great power or strength of something like a storm, fire, or other strong event.
Usage pattern:
the ferocity of [a force/event]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'ferocity' only for people or animals. It is also common and natural to use it for non-living forces like storms, fires, or market crashes: 'the ferocity of the storm', 'the ferocity of the fire'.
Synonyms
intensity (A general word for strength or degree; more neutral and less tied to violence than 'ferocity'.)
|
violence (Emphasizes the damaging, forceful nature of the event, especially with physical destruction.)
|
force (Focuses on power or strength, and may sound more technical or neutral than 'ferocity'.)
Antonyms
weakness (Highlights low power or little effect, the opposite of strong or intense force.)
|
mildness (Describes a soft or gentle level of strength, such as a gentle storm or light wind.)
Collocations
the ferocity of the storm
|the ferocity of the flames
|the hurricane’s ferocity
|unexpected ferocity
|the ferocity of the crash
|the ferocity of the outbreak
Themes
nature
|disasters
|intensity
|weather
Examples
- Residents were stunned by the ferocity of the hurricane that hit the coast.
- Firefighters battled the ferocity of the flames for over eight hours.
- Scientists were surprised by the ferocity of the earthquake’s aftershocks.
- The ferocity of the storm tore roofs from houses and uprooted trees.
- Many investors were unprepared for the ferocity of the market crash.
Learner examples
- The ferocity of the storm broke many windows.
- We did not expect the ferocity of the wind.
- The ferocity of the fire destroyed the building.
- The town will remember the ferocity of the flood.
- The ferocity of the heat made it hard to work outside.
Noun
C1
entity
3
intense determination or passion
Very strong and intense feeling or effort, especially when someone does something in a powerful way.
Usage pattern:
[someone] does [something] with ferocity
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'ferocity' is only negative. In this sense, it can be neutral or even positive, describing strong effort or passion (e.g., 'work with ferocity'). The context shows whether it feels positive, neutral, or negative.
Synonyms
intensity (General word for strong effort or feeling; less dramatic and emotional than 'ferocity'.)
|
passion (Focuses on strong emotion or enthusiasm rather than toughness or sharpness.)
|
fierceness (Very close in meaning; can sound slightly less formal and is common for both emotion and effort.)
Antonyms
apathy (Complete lack of interest or feeling, the opposite of intense passion.)
|
halfheartedness (Doing something without full effort or energy, contrasting with strong, driven effort.)
Collocations
work with ferocity
|argue with ferocity
|emotional ferocity
|artistic ferocity
|competitive ferocity
|defend with ferocity
Themes
emotions
|work
|communication
Examples
- She threw herself into the project with a ferocity that surprised her colleagues.
- He defended his friend with such ferocity that the whole room fell silent.
- The novel is remembered for the emotional ferocity of its central character.
- The team played with a ferocity that showed how badly they wanted to win.
- Her artistic ferocity pushed her to paint late into the night.
Learner examples
- She worked with ferocity to finish the job.
- He argued with great ferocity during the meeting.
- You could feel the ferocity of her love for her child.
- The players showed real ferocity in the final game.
- He studied with ferocity before the exam.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ferocity
IPA
GB/fɚˈɑsəti/
US/fɚˈɑsəti/
Syllables & stress
fe - ro - city (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fe)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: ferocity
- Plural: ferocities, ferocity
Word family
Forms
ferocities
noun
Core family
ferocious
adjective B2
ferociously
adverb C1
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.