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Definition of violence

violence

/ˈvaɪələns/
vi · o · lence
Adverb:violently
•
Plural:violences
•
Adjective:violent
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violence Lexical Profile

violence Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something.

Example

"The community organization works tirelessly to promote peaceful conflict resolution and reduce violence in neighborhoods."

2

Great strength, intensity, or destructive force of natural phenomena or strong emotions.

Example

"We were surprised by the sudden violence of the summer thunderstorm as it swept across the valley."

3

Unjust distortion, misrepresentation, or mistreatment of a text, fact, or principle (especially in the phrase 'do violence to').

Example

"Removing that paragraph from its historical context would do violence to the author's original argument."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for violence

• Nearby Words

violate
violation
violator
violence
violent
violently
violet

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 13th century via Old French from Latin violentia ('vehemence, impetuosity, ferocity'), derived from violentus ('forcible, vehement'), which is related to vis ('strength, force, power').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Violence. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/violence
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