From Middle English violence, from Old French violence, from Latin violentia, from adjective violentus, see violent.

• IPA: /ˈvaɪ(ə)ləns/
• (obsolete or poetic) IPA: /ˈvaɪ(ə)ˌlɛns/

violence

1. Extreme force.

   The violence of the storm, fortunately, was more awesome than destructive.

2. Physical action which causes destruction, harm, pain, or suffering.

   We try to avoid violence in resolving conflicts.

3. Widespread fighting.

   Violence between the government and the rebels continues.

4. (figuratively) Injustice, wrong.

   The translation does violence to the original novel.

   • 2017, Kevin J. O'Brien, The Violence of Climate Change:

     Racism, classism, sexism, ethnocentrism, and heterosexism are also wicked problems of structural violence […]

• (antonym(s) of “action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering”): peace, nonviolence

• violent
• violate
• violation

• French: violence
• German: Gewalt
• Italian: violenza
• Portuguese: violência
• Russian: си́ла
• Spanish: violencia

• French: violence
• German: Gewalt, Gewalttaten
• Italian: violenza
• Portuguese: violência
• Russian: наси́лие
• Spanish: violencia

• German: Gewalttätigkeiten
• Portuguese: hostilidade
• Russian: наси́лие

• Portuguese: injustiça

violence (violences, present participle violencing; simple past and past participle violenced)

1. (nonstandard) To subject to violence.