violent
violent — adjective
1. A violent person deliberately hurts other people by using their body, an object,
A violent person deliberately hurts other people by using their body, an object, or a weapon.
Ryo became violent after the other boys started laughing at his mistake.
become + violent (change from calm to aggressive)
The school expelled the violent student for attacking a classmate in the hallway.
violent + student (attributive before a person noun)
The police arrested a group of violent protesters who had been throwing stones at cars.
No one expected the normally calm woman to turn violent during the argument about money.
- aggressive
Can be verbal or non-physical; violent always implies physical force.
- brutal
Emphasises cruelty and lack of mercy, stronger than violent.
- savage
Suggests wild, animal-like cruelty; more extreme than violent.
文法句型
violent + noun
be/become/turn + violent
用法筆記
Frequently appears both attributively before nouns (a violent attack) and after linking verbs like become, turn, or get (He got violent after drinking). The predicative use often signals a change in behaviour.
常見錯誤
2. A violent event, situation, or scene involves people being physically hurt, inju
A violent event, situation, or scene involves people being physically hurt, injured, or killed.
Christopher survived a violent robbery at the shop where he worked last summer.
The news report called the violent incident the worst the city had seen in years.
violent + incident (attributive before an event noun)
Eshe could not sleep after watching the violent images on the evening news broadcast.
A violent confrontation between two groups left three people with serious injuries.
- bloody
Specifically suggests that people were injured or killed; narrower than violent.
- deadly
Emphasises that the event caused death.
- destructive
Focuses on damage to property or people, not just force.
文法句型
violent + event/situation noun
用法筆記
Most common before nouns that name events or situations — such as clash, protest, scene, incident, or robbery. Unlike sense 1, this sense does not describe a person's character or behaviour.
常見錯誤
3. A violent force, feeling, or movement is sudden, extremely strong, and can cause
A violent force, feeling, or movement is sudden, extremely strong, and can cause damage or shock — for example, a violent storm, a violent pain, or a violent reaction.
Henrik felt a violent pain in his lower back after lifting the heavy boxes alone.
violent + pain (sudden, intense physical sensation)
A violent thunderstorm tore the roof off several houses in the mountain village.
violent + thunderstorm (extreme weather with destructive force)
Kian's mother showed a violent reaction when she heard the news of the accident.
The train came to a violent stop when the driver pulled the emergency brake hard.
文法句型
violent + natural force noun
violent + emotion/pain noun
violent + movement noun
用法筆記
Common with nouns for natural forces (storm, wind, earthquake), physical sensations (pain, jolt, shudder), and emotional responses (reaction, anger, outcry). Cannot describe temperature, taste, or colour — those belong to sense 4 for colours.
常見錯誤
4. When a colour is described as violent, it is so bright, vivid, or strong that it
When a colour is described as violent, it is so bright, vivid, or strong that it appears unpleasant, shocking, or harsh to the eyes.
Bao painted the wall a violent pink that made his sister cover her eyes.
violent + shade + colour name (describing an unpleasantly bright colour)
The artist used violent reds and oranges to show tension in the painting.
João found the new sign's violent yellow far too bright for the street.
Nora chose a softer grey instead of the violent purple the designer had recommended.
文法句型
violent + colour noun
用法筆記
Only used for colours, never for shapes, patterns, textures, or sounds. Often implies that the speaker finds the colour unpleasant or inappropriately bright for the context.