violently

violently — adverb

1. using physical force intended to hurt, damage, or control someone or something.

1.adverbB2
Definition

using physical force intended to hurt, damage, or control someone or something.

Example

The protesters were violently removed from the building by police.

passive: violently removed by [agent]

Amihan was shoved violently from behind and fell onto the pavement.

collocation: shoved violently

Common collocations
  • violently removed
  • violently shoved
  • violently attacked
  • fought violently
  • grabbed violently
  • violently pushed
  • reacted violently
  • violently shaken
Synonyms
  • forcefully

    less emotional, implies physical power rather than aggression

  • brutally

    suggests deliberate cruelty, stronger negative connotation

  • fiercely

    can also describe emotion or resistance, not exclusively physical

Antonyms
  • gently

    opposite in manner — with care and mildness

  • peacefully

    without any use of force or violence

Grammar Patterns

violently + verb

Usage Note

Commonly paired with verbs of physical action or confrontation: fight, push, shove, grab, attack, remove, throw. The subject is typically a person or group, but can also be an inanimate force such as wind or an explosion.

Common Mistakes

She violently agreed with his idea.
She strongly agreed with his idea.
'violently' in this sense requires actual physical force or movement, not just strong emotion.

2. to an extreme or very strong degree — used to describe physical reactions, feeli

2.adverbB2
Definition

to an extreme or very strong degree — used to describe physical reactions, feelings, or opinions that are intensely negative or powerful.

Example

Yuki became violently ill after eating the spoiled seafood.

collocation: violently ill

Gita is violently opposed to any changes in the school curriculum.

collocation: violently opposed to [something]

Common collocations
  • violently ill
  • violently opposed to
  • violently allergic to
  • violently unpleasant
  • violently disagree
Synonyms
  • extremely

    neutral and widely applicable, lacks the specific negative colouring of 'violently'

  • intensely

    suggests deep concentration of feeling; more formal

  • strongly

    broader range; suitable for opinions without the violent imagery

Antonyms
  • mildly

    opposite degree — weak or gentle in intensity

Grammar Patterns

violently + adjective

violently + verb of emotion

Usage Note

Only pairs with a limited set of adjectives and verbs describing strong negative reactions or physical states: ill, opposed, allergic, unpleasant, disagree, hate. It is not a general-purpose intensifier — do not use it freely with most adjectives (e.g. ❌ violently tall, ❌ violently interesting).

Common Mistakes

The weather was violently hot yesterday.
The weather was extremely hot yesterday.
'violently' is not a universal intensifier; it only works with certain adjectives describing negative physical states or strong opposition.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four words describe actions done with physical force, but they differ in emotional colour and typical usage. 'Violently' emphasises the intent or effect of causing harm, and is the strongest of the group. 'Forcefully' is more neutral — it suggests strength or pressure without necessarily implying injury (e.g. he pushed the door open forcefully). 'Brutally' adds a layer of cruelty or mercilessness; a brutally honest comment is not physically violent but still causes pain. 'Fiercely' can describe physical struggle or emotional intensity such as fierce loyalty or fierce competition. 'Roughly' is the least extreme, describing careless or ungentle handling rather than deliberate aggression. For example, 'The police officer roughly searched his bag' suggests haste and lack of care, not an intention to hurt.

forcefullybrutallyfiercely ↗roughly ↗

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Derived from the Latin word 'violentus', meaning 'forcible' or 'vehement', which in turn comes from 'vis', meaning 'strength' or 'force'. It entered Middle English through Old French 'violent', and the adverbial ending '-ly' was added to form 'violently' by the 14th century.