Meaning & use
violently
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Meanings
adverbnot comparable
In a way that uses physical force to hurt, attack or damage someone or something.
Grammar: Often follows a verb of conflict: attacked violently.
Patterns
- react violently
- attack someone violently
The crowd reacted violently when the match was canceled.
He was violently thrown from the car in the crash.
Protesters clashed violently with police outside the building.
adverbnot comparable
With great force or speed, in a way that is hard to control.
Grammar: Describes movement or natural forces: the boat rocked violently.
Patterns
- shake violently
- burst violently
The windows shook violently during the storm.
Her hands trembled violently as she opened the letter.
The engine jerked violently and then stopped.
adverbnot comparable
To an extreme degree, used about strong feelings, disagreements or illness.
Grammar: Used with words like disagree or opposed, and is usually emotional: violently opposed.
Patterns
- violently opposed to something
- violently ill
The two brothers violently disagreed about the will.
She was violently sick after eating the shellfish.
He was violently opposed to selling the family farm.
Common combinations
- shake violently
- The whole building shook violently for a few seconds.
- violently opposed
- Many residents are violently opposed to the new road.
- react violently
- Some patients react violently to the drug.
- violently ill
- He was violently ill all night.
- disagree violently
- The committee members disagreed violently about the budget.
Synonyms and how they differ
- brutally
- Brutally suggests cruelty and a lack of pity, whereas violently only describes the use of force.
- forcefully
- Forcefully is often positive or neutral, as in arguing forcefully, while violently suggests hurt or loss of control.
- fiercely
- Fiercely stresses intensity and aggression, and is often used for feelings or competition, not necessarily physical damage.
- savagely
- Savagely is stronger and more emotive, implying wild, merciless cruelty.
Opposites
Word family
- violent adjective
- using or involving physical force to hurt or damage
- violence noun
- behavior that is meant to hurt or kill
- nonviolent adjective
- not using physical force
- nonviolently adverb
- in a way that avoids physical force
Commonly confused: violently or vigorously?
violently vs vigorously
Vigorously means with energy and strength but not necessarily harm, so you can scrub a floor vigorously but not violently.
Practice
Which sentence uses violently correctly to describe uncontrolled movement?
Choose one answer.
Violently describes forceful, uncontrolled movement such as shaking. It does not suit thanking, finishing homework or an ordinary walk.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “violently”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.