savage
38 synonyms and 10 antonyms for savage, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Extremely fierce, violent, or brutal.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
ferocious
feral
merciless
animalistic
barbarious
barbarous
brutish
Gothlike
heathen
heathenish
heathenly
heathenous
incivil
tenebrose
truculent
uncivil
uncivilized
uncouth
uncultivated
uncultured
uplandish
wolfish
crucify
pillory
wildcat
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adj
Extremely fierce, violent, or brutal.
“A savage storm tore the roof off the old barn overnight.”
ferocious
vicious
ruthless
feral
fierce
merciless
animalistic
barbarian
barbaric
barbarious
barbarous
brutal
brutish
Gothic
Gothlike
grim
heathen
heathenish
heathenly
heathenous
incivil
pagan
tenebrose
truculent
uncivil
uncivilized
uncouth
uncultivated
uncultured
uplandish
wolfish
Opposites
civilized
cultured
non-barbaric
nonbarbarous
nonheathen
nonpagan
unbarbarous
unheathen
unpagan
unsavage
2. verb
To attack fiercely, or to criticise something harshly.
“The press savaged the film, calling it dull and far too long.”
How to use savage
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
savage attack
savage criticism
absolutely savage
Etymology
From Old French sauvage ("wild, untamed"), ultimately from Latin silvāticus, "of the woods," from silva, "forest."
Full origin of savage →Frequently asked questions
What does “savage” mean?
The word “savage” means extremely fierce, violent, or brutal. In plain terms, fierce, brutal, or wild — or, in slang, impressively harsh or bold.
How do you pronounce “savage”?
“Savage” is pronounced SA-vihj (/ˈsævɪd͡ʒ/ in IPA).
How do you use “savage” in a sentence?
Here is “savage” used in a sentence: “The animal launched a savage attack on its prey.”
What is another word for “savage”?
Words with a similar meaning to “savage” include animalistic, barbarian, barbaric, barbarious, barbarous and brutal.
What is the opposite of “savage”?
The opposite of “savage” — its antonyms — are civilized, cultured, non-barbaric, nonbarbarous and nonheathen.
What part of speech is “savage”?
Depending on how it is used, “savage” can be an adjective, a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “savage” come from?
The word “savage” comes from Latin. From Old French sauvage ("wild, untamed"), ultimately from Latin silvāticus, "of the woods," from silva, "forest.".
Is “savage” a common word?
“Savage” is a fairly common word in modern English.
Is calling someone "savage" a compliment or an insult?
It depends entirely on context. In informal slang, "savage" is often a compliment meaning impressively bold, harsh, or brilliant — praise for a sharp comeback or a fearless move. In its traditional sense it is an insult, describing someone extremely fierce, violent, or brutal.
What is the difference between "savage" and "brutal"?
Both describe extreme violence or harshness, but "savage" emphasises wild, ferocious aggression, while "brutal" stresses cruelty and lack of mercy. In modern slang the two overlap again as compliments: a comeback can be called savage or brutal when it is impressively harsh.
Is the noun "savage" offensive?
Yes, when applied to people. As a noun it was historically used as a derogatory label for members of indigenous or so-called "uncivilised" societies, and that use is now considered outdated and offensive. Today the noun survives mainly in the looser sense of a fierce or wild creature or person.
