Savage — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /ˈsa-vij/ sav·age

Meaning & Definition of Savage

Savage (adjective)

  1. not domesticated or under human control, untamed
  2. lacking the restraints normal to civilized human beings, fierce, ferocious
  3. wild, uncultivated

Savage (noun)

  1. a person belonging to a primitive society
  2. a brutal person
  3. a rude or unmannerly person

Savage (verb)

  1. to attack or treat brutally

Savage (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a mean, evil, or unprincipled person

    "what kind of savage would hurt a baby?"

    similar: baddie, beast, brute, caitiff, devil, evildoer, fiend, heavy, hound, knave, meanie, miscreant, monster, nazi, no-good, rapscallion, rascal, reprobate, rogue, scalawag, scamp, scapegrace, scoundrel, varlet, villain, wretch
    related: villainess, blackguard, criminal, crook, culprit, felon, lawbreaker, malefactor, offender, perp, perpetrator, transgressor, sinner, trespasser, wrongdoer, cad, heel, serpent, snake, viper, bandit, bravo, desperado, outlaw, con, convict, jailbird, assassin, cutthroat, gangster, goon, gunman, hoodlum, hooligan, racketeer, ruffian, thug, rough, rowdy, tough, loser, lowlife, ne'er-do-well, stinker, trash
    near: angel, innocent, saint, hero

  2. an uncivilized person

    "inhabitants of exotic lands were invariably portrayed by early travel writers as savages"

    similar: barbarian, heathen
    related: Neanderthal, primitive, noble savage

Savage (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. not civilized

    "Tarzan is usually portrayed as a noble but savage warrior of the jungle"

    similar: barbarian, barbaric, barbarous, heathen, heathenish, natural, Neanderthal, rude, uncivil, uncivilized, uncultivated, wild
    related: coarse, crude, primitive, rough, uncouth, uncultured
    opposite: civilized
    near: cultured, enlightened, humane, sophisticated, genteel, polished, polite, refined, urbane, well-bred, semicivilized

  2. having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others

    "a savage attack on a helpless person"

    similar: atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brutal, brute, butcherly, cruel, fiendish, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, sadistic, truculent, vicious, wanton, red in tooth and claw
    related: hard-hearted, ironhearted, merciless, pitiless, ruthless, stonyhearted, unfeeling, fell, ferocious, grim, bloodthirsty, cutthroat, murderous, sanguinary, sanguine, catty, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vindictive, draconian, draconic, hardhanded, harsh, heavy-handed, oppressive
    opposite: benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted
    near: tender, warm, warmhearted, charitable, clement, lenient, merciful, pitying, pacific, peaceable, peaceful

  3. living outdoors without taming or domestication by humans

    "savage beasts that seemed threatening to the tourists"

    similar: feral, unbroken, undomesticated, untamed, wild, wilding
    related: uncontrolled, undocile, unsubdued, untrained, bestial, brutal, brute, barbarous, uncivilized
    opposite: broken, busted, domestic, domesticated, gentled, tame, tamed
    near: controlled, docile, familiar, semidomesticated, subdued, submissive, halterbroken, housebroken, trained, civilized, semicivilized, socialized

  4. violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition

    "early explorers avoided those areas that were rumored to be inhabited by savage natives"

    similar: fell, ferocious, fierce, grim, vicious
    related: argumentative, assaultive, bellicose, belligerent, brawly, chippy, combative, confrontational, discordant, disputatious, feisty, gladiatorial, militant, pugnacious, scrappy, warlike, bare-knuckle, blood-and-guts, in-your-face, take-no-prisoners, contentious, quarrelsome, truculent, menacing, threatening, bestial, brute, inhuman, inhumane, barbaric, uncivilized, wild, heartless, implacable, merciless, pitiless, relentless, ruthless, unrelenting, wanton, bloodthirsty, bloody, homicidal, murdering, murderous, sanguinary, sanguine, rapacious, ravenous, voracious
    opposite: gentle, mild, unaggressive
    near: amicable, companionable, comradely, congenial, cordial, friendly, genial, hearty, warm, warmhearted, compliant, submissive, tame, benign, compassionate, kind, merciful, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, amiable, complaisant, obliging, human, humane, civilized, cultured

Savage (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to criticize harshly and usually publicly

    "book reviewers mercilessly savaged his latest novel"

    similar: abuse, assail, attack, bash, belabor, blast, castigate, excoriate, jump (on), lambaste, potshot, scathe, slam, trash, vituperate, beat up on, light into, sail into, tie into
    related: berate, harangue, harass, harry, revile, scold, whip, blaspheme, curse, execrate, imprecate, profane, affront, insult, slur, asperse, bad-mouth, belittle, blackguard, disparage, put down, libel, slander, traduce, vilify, chastise, chide, criticize, lace (into), rebuke, reprimand, fulminate, lash (out)
    near: acclaim, commend, compliment, hail, laud, praise

Related Entry: Noble savage (noun)

Noble savage is a different word from Savage. The synonyms below are for noble savage, not for savage.

  1. as in savage, barbarian

    similar: barbarian, heathen, savage, Neanderthal, primitive

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Savage

The most common words with a similar meaning to Savage:

baddie, beast, brute, caitiff, devil, evildoer, fiend, heavy, hound, knave, meanie, miscreant, monster, nazi, no-good, rapscallion, rascal, reprobate, rogue, scalawag, scamp, scapegrace, scoundrel, varlet, villain, wretch, barbarian, heathen, barbaric, barbarous, heathenish, natural, Neanderthal, rude, uncivil, uncivilized, uncultivated, wild, atrocious, brutal

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Savage

Words with the opposite meaning of Savage:

civilized, benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted, broken, busted, domestic, domesticated, gentled, tame, tamed, gentle, mild, unaggressive

Related Words for Savage

villainess, blackguard, criminal, crook, culprit, felon, lawbreaker, malefactor, offender, perp, perpetrator, transgressor, sinner, trespasser, wrongdoer, cad, heel, serpent, snake, viper, bandit, bravo, desperado, outlaw, con, convict, jailbird, assassin, cutthroat, gangster

Near Antonyms of Savage

angel, innocent, saint, hero, cultured, enlightened, sophisticated, genteel, polished, polite, refined, urbane, well-bred, semicivilized, tender, warm, warmhearted, charitable, clement, lenient, merciful, pitying, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, controlled, docile, familiar, semidomesticated, subdued

Word Forms of Savage

Inflections: savages, savaged, savaging

Derived words: savagely (adverb), savageness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Savage

Middle English, from Anglo-French salvage, savage, from Late Latin salvaticus, alteration of Latin silvaticus of the woods, wild, from silva wood, forest

First known use: 13th century

Words & Phrases Containing Savage

noble savage

Frequently Asked Questions about Savage

What does "Savage" mean?

"Savage" means not domesticated or under human control, untamed. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: not domesticated or under human control, untamed. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Savage"?

Other words for "Savage" include baddie, beast, brute, caitiff, devil, evildoer, fiend and heavy. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Savage" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Savage"?

There are 227 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Savage". Common alternatives include baddie, beast, brute, caitiff, devil, evildoer, fiend, heavy, hound and knave.

What is the opposite of "Savage"?

Antonyms of "Savage" include civilized, benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind and kindhearted. Near antonyms include angel, innocent, saint and hero.

How do you use "Savage" in a sentence?

Examples of "Savage" in a sentence: "what kind of savage would hurt a baby?"; "inhabitants of exotic lands were invariably portrayed by early travel writers as savages"; "Tarzan is usually portrayed as a noble but savage warrior of the jungle".

Is "Savage" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Savage" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Savage"?

"Savage" is pronounced /ˈsa-vij/ and divided into syllables as sav·age.

What is the origin of the word "Savage"?

"Savage" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French salvage, savage, from Late Latin salvaticus, alteration of Latin silvaticus of the woods, wild, from silva wood, forest. First known use: 13th century.