• IPA: /ˈvaɪ(ə)lənt/

violent (comparative violenter, superlative violentest)

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.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes, volume (please specify ), London: Printed by A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292 ↗:

     |||tr=|brackets=|subst=|lit=|nocat=1|footer=}}|}}

     We have already observed, that he was a very good-natured fellow, and he hath himself declared the violent attachment he had to the person and character of Jones […]

5. (obsolete) Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural.
   • c. 1591–1595, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene vi]:

     These violent delights have violent ends.

   • No violent state can be perpetual.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book 4”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗:

     Ease would recant / Vows made in pain, as violent and void.

• peaceful

• violence

• French: violent
• German: heftig, gewaltig, brutal, gewalttätig
• Italian: violento
• Portuguese: violento
• Russian: неи́стовый
• Spanish: violento

• French: violent
• Portuguese: violento
• Russian: наси́льственный
• Spanish: violento

• French: violent
• German: gewaltbereit
• Portuguese: violento
• Russian: жесто́кий
• Spanish: violento

• French: vif
• German: grell
• Portuguese: violento

violent (violents, present participle violenting; past and past participle violented)

1. (transitive, archaic) To urge with violence.

violent (plural violents)

1. (obsolete) An assailant.