What does "violent" mean?
An assailant.
Violent
/ˈvaɪ.ə.lənt/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An assailant.
- Grammar: violent is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: fierce, abandoned, abusive language, acid.
- Useful contrasts: peaceable, peaceful, bloodless change.
- Usage evidence: There was a violent storm at sea.
How to use "violent"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "violent" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "violent" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "violent" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "violent" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "violent" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "fierce" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "violent", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An assailant. obsolete
"Did the Covetous extortioner observe that he is involv'd in the same sentence, [and] remember that such Violents shall take not heaven, but hell, by force."
Verb
- 1 To urge with violence. archaic, transitive
"a great adversary , stepping in , so violented his Majesty to a trial"
Adjective
- 1 Involving extreme force or motion.
"A violent wind ripped the branch from the tree."
- 2 Involving physical conflict.
"We would rather negotiate, but we will use violent means if necessary."
- 3 Likely to use physical force.
"The escaped prisoners are considered extremely violent."
- 4 Intensely vivid.
"The artist expressed his emotional theme through violent colors."
- 5 Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural.
"These violent delights have violent ends."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Acute, extreme, sharp.
"Palace made it 3-1 on 81 minutes, Nketiah nipping in to finish nicely, then doing a no-celebration pose in front of the away fans. Nketiah grew up a couple of miles from the Den. It felt, at the very least, like a neighbourly overture, and in violent contrast to the opening act at the other end."
Adjective
- 1 characterized by violence or bloodshed wordnet
- 2 marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid wordnet
- 3 (of colors or sounds) intensely vivid or loud wordnet
- 4 effected by force or injury rather than natural causes wordnet
- 5 acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity wordnet
Example
"There was a violent storm at sea."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "violent"?
Common synonyms include: fierce, abandoned, abusive language, acid, acidulous, acrid.
How do you use "violent" in a sentence?
There was a violent storm at sea.
How do you pronounce "violent"?
Pronounced /ˈvaɪ.ə.lənt/.
Etymology
From Middle English violent, from Old French violent, from Latin violentus, from vīs (“strength”). Displaced native Old English stræc. For the verb, compare French violenter.