savagery
noun
sav·age·ry
ˈsa-vij-rē 
-vi-jə-
plural savageries
1
a
: the quality of being savage
b
: an act of cruelty or violence
2
: an uncivilized state
Synonyms
Examples of savagery in a Sentence
The savagery of the attack was horrifying.
an act of pure savagery
the savageries committed by the soldiers
Recent Examples on the Web
Into this morass of cruelty and savagery comes Lucy MacLean, the only person in a thousand-mile radius who believes mankind should work for the greater good.
—
Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2024
The military’s savagery, long known to ethnic minorities, is now broadcast daily to the wider public on social media, leading many Burmese to reevaluate the armed forces’ role in society.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
In the Devil May Cry series of the 2000s and 2010s, the symphony of on-screen savagery played out across discrete levels.
—Lewis Gordon, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Gorman, who oversees all federal prosecutions in Western Washington, said the investigation unearthed a massive drug network that stood out for its savagery.
—Beth Warren, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024
The reports of what Hamas fighters did across towns and kibbutzim in southern Israel recalled the cruelty and savagery of the Islamic State’s rampage.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2023
At the center of Tony Manero (2008) is fifty-two-year-old Raúl, whose determination to win a John Travolta look-alike contest drives him to crime amid the savagery of 1970s Chile.
—Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 28 Dec. 2023
Through it all, Efron battles with ever-increasing savagery in the ring, trying desperately to keep a lid on his feelings.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 14 Dec. 2023
As the magnitude of Hamas’s savagery came into view, IDF commanders directed his unit of reservists to prepare for action.
—Alex Horton, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023
Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2024
The military’s savagery, long known to ethnic minorities, is now broadcast daily to the wider public on social media, leading many Burmese to reevaluate the armed forces’ role in society.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
In the Devil May Cry series of the 2000s and 2010s, the symphony of on-screen savagery played out across discrete levels.
—Lewis Gordon, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Gorman, who oversees all federal prosecutions in Western Washington, said the investigation unearthed a massive drug network that stood out for its savagery.
—Beth Warren, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024
The reports of what Hamas fighters did across towns and kibbutzim in southern Israel recalled the cruelty and savagery of the Islamic State’s rampage.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2023
At the center of Tony Manero (2008) is fifty-two-year-old Raúl, whose determination to win a John Travolta look-alike contest drives him to crime amid the savagery of 1970s Chile.
—Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 28 Dec. 2023
Through it all, Efron battles with ever-increasing savagery in the ring, trying desperately to keep a lid on his feelings.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 14 Dec. 2023
As the magnitude of Hamas’s savagery came into view, IDF commanders directed his unit of reservists to prepare for action.
—Alex Horton, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'savagery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near savagery
Cite this Entry
“Savagery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savagery. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
savagery
noun
sav·age·ry
ˈsav-ij-(ə-)rē
plural savageries
1
: savage disposition or action : cruelty
2
: the state of being savage
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