noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈvaɪ.(ə.)ləns/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
obsolete, poetic:/ˈvaɪ.(ə)ˌlɛns/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -aɪələns
rhymes with -aɪləns
CMU ARPABET:V AY1 AH0 L AH0 N S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Extreme force.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
The violence of the storm, fortunately, was more awesome than destructive.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Physical action which causes destruction, harm, pain, or suffering.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
We try to avoid violence in resolving conflicts.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Widespread fighting.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Violence between the government and the rebels continues.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A perceived injustice, especially in the context of social justice.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, figuratively, uncountable
Examples
The translation does violence to the original novel.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To subject to violence.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: nonstandard
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he may accomplish by craft in the long run what he cannot do by force and violence in the short one
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: force
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: aggression, hostility
Narrower terms: domestic violence, road rage, riot, public violence
a turbulent state resulting in injuries and destruction etc.
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: turbulence, upheaval, Sturm und Drang
Narrower terms: rage
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin violēns /violentus Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin violentiabor. Old French violencebor. Middle English violence English violence Inherited from Middle English violence, borrowed from Old French violence, borrowed from Latin violentia, from violēns /violentus (“violent”) + -ia. See violent. Displaced native Old English stræc.
Across languages
Translations
225 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
geweld
— extreme force
Basque:
indarkeria
— extreme force
Basque:
biolentzia
— extreme force
Belarusian:
лю́тасьць
(ljútasʹcʹ)
— extreme force
Belarusian:
сі́ла
(síla)
— extreme force
Bulgarian:
сила
(sila)
— extreme force
Catalan:
violència
— extreme force
Chinese Mandarin:
暴力
(bàolì)
— extreme force
Corsican:
viulenza
— extreme force
Corsican:
viulinza
— extreme force
Danish:
vold
— extreme force
Dutch:
geweld
— extreme force
Estonian:
vägivald
— extreme force
Finnish:
rajuus
— extreme force
Finnish:
voimakeinot
— extreme force
French:
violence
— extreme force
West-Frisian:
geweld
— extreme force
Galician:
violencia
— extreme force
Georgian:
ძალადობა
(ʒaladoba)
— extreme force
Georgian:
ძალდატანება
(ʒaldaṭaneba)
— extreme force
German:
Gewalt
— extreme force
Greek:
βία
(vía)
— extreme force
Ancient Greek:
βία
(bía)
— extreme force
Hebrew:
אלימות
(alimút)
— extreme force
Hindi:
हिंसा
(hinsā)
— extreme force
Hungarian:
erőszak
— extreme force
Icelandic:
ofsi
— extreme force
Icelandic:
offors
— extreme force
Indonesian:
kekerasan
— extreme force
Irish:
neart
— extreme force
Irish:
cumhacht
— extreme force
Italian:
violenza
— extreme force
Japanese:
猛威
(mōi)
— extreme force
Kannada:
ಹಿಂಸೆ
(hiṃse)
— extreme force
Korean:
격렬(激烈)함
(gyeongnyeolham)
— extreme force
Korean:
맹렬(猛烈)함
(maengnyeolham)
— extreme force
Ladin:
viulënza
— extreme force
Latin:
violentia
— extreme force
Macedonian:
насилство
(nasilstvo)
— extreme force
Malay:
keganasan
— extreme force
Malayalam:
അക്രമം
(akramaṁ)
— extreme force
Māori:
tūkeri
— extreme force
Middle English:
violence
— extreme force
Norwegian Bokmål:
vold
— extreme force
Norwegian Nynorsk:
vald
— extreme force
Occitan:
violéncia
— extreme force
Occitan:
violencia
— extreme force
Pashto:
خشونت
(xušonat)
— extreme force
Persian:
خشونت
(xošunat)
— extreme force
Polish:
gwałtowność
— extreme force
Portuguese:
violência
— extreme force
Punjabi:
ਹਿੰਸਾ
(hinsā)
— extreme force
Romanian:
violență
— extreme force
Russian:
си́ла
(síla)
— extreme force
Russian:
неи́стовство
(neístovstvo)
— extreme force
Sanskrit:
हिंसा
(hiṃsā)
— extreme force
Sanskrit:
रभस्
(rabhas)
— extreme force
Sanskrit:
त्विष्
(tviṣ)
— extreme force
Sardinian:
violentza
— extreme force
Sardinian:
violèntza
— extreme force
Scots:
veeolence
— extreme force
Scots:
violence
— extreme force
Scottish Gaelic:
ainneart
— extreme force
Scottish Gaelic:
brùidealachd
— extreme force
Serbo-Croatian:
žestìna
— extreme force
Serbo-Croatian:
silòvitōst
— extreme force
Serbo-Croatian:
nasilje
— extreme force
Sicilian:
viulenza
— extreme force
Sinhalese:
ප්රචණ්ඩත්වය
(pracaṇḍatwaya)
— extreme force
Spanish:
violencia
— extreme force
Swedish:
våld
— extreme force
Tagalog:
karahasan
— extreme force
Tagalog:
dahas
— extreme force
Tamil:
வன்முறை
(vaṉmuṟai)
— extreme force
Telugu:
హింస
(hiṁsa)
— extreme force
Thai:
ความรุนแรง
(kwaam-run-rɛɛng)
— extreme force
Tibetan:
ལོག་གཡེམ་མམ་ཉེས་སྤྱོད
(log g.yem mam nyes spyod)
— extreme force
Turkish:
şiddet
— extreme force
Ottoman Turkish:
شدت
(şiddet)
— extreme force
Urdu:
تشدد
(taśadud)
— extreme force
Urdu:
ہنسا
(hinsā)
— extreme force
Welsh:
ffyrnigrwydd
— extreme force
Welsh:
trais
— extreme force
Yiddish:
געוואַלט
(gevalt)
— extreme force
Afrikaans:
geweld
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Albanian:
dhunë
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Arabic:
عُنْف
(ʕunf)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Arabic:
عَنْف
(ʕanf)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Armenian:
բռնություն
(bṙnutʻyun)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Azerbaijani:
zorakılıq
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Azerbaijani:
şiddət
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Basque:
indarkeria
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Belarusian:
гвалт
(hvalt)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Bulgarian:
наси́лие
(nasílie)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Catalan:
violència
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Chinese Mandarin:
暴力
(bàolì)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Czech:
násilí
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Danish:
vold
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Dutch:
geweld
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Esperanto:
perforto
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Estonian:
vägivald
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Finnish:
väkivalta
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
French:
violence
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
West-Frisian:
geweld
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Georgian:
ძალადობა
(ʒaladoba)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Georgian:
ძალმომრეობა
(ʒalmomreoba)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Georgian:
ძალდატანება
(ʒaldaṭaneba)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
German:
Gewalt
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
German:
Gewalttaten
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Greek:
βία
(vía)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Ancient Greek:
βία
(bía)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Hebrew:
אַלִּימוּת
(alimút)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Hindi:
हिंसा
(hinsā)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Hungarian:
erőszak
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Icelandic:
ofbeldi
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Indonesian:
kekerasan
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Irish:
foréigean
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Italian:
violenza
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Japanese:
暴力
(bōryoku)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Kazakh:
зорлық
(zorlyq)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Kazakh:
зорлық-зомбылық
(zorlyq-zombylyq)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Khmer:
ការរំលោភ
(kaa rumloop)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Korean:
폭력
(pongnyeok)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Northern Kurdish:
şidet
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Kyrgyz:
зомбулук
(zombuluk)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Lao:
ຄວາມຮຸນແຮງ
(khuām hun hǣng)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Latvian:
vardarbība
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Lithuanian:
smurtas
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Macedonian:
насилство
(nasilstvo)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Malay:
keganasan
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Maltese:
vjolenza
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Māori:
whakarekereke
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Māori:
taitōkaitanga
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Marathi:
हिंसा
(hiusā)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Middle English:
violence
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Norwegian Bokmål:
vold
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Norwegian Nynorsk:
vald
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Occitan:
violéncia
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Old English:
stræc
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Pashto:
تشدد
(tašadód)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Pashto:
خشونت
(xošunát)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Persian:
خشونت
(xošunat)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Polish:
przemoc
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Portuguese:
violência
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Punjabi:
ਹਿੰਸਾ
(hinsā)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Romanian:
violență
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Russian:
наси́лие
(nasílije)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Sanskrit:
हिंसा
(hiṃsā)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Scots:
veeolence
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Scottish Gaelic:
ainneart
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Scottish Gaelic:
èiginn
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Serbo-Croatian:
на́сӣље
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Serbo-Croatian:
násīlje
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Sinhalese:
ප්රචණ්ඩත්වය
(pracaṇḍatwaya)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Slovak:
násilie
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Slovene:
nasilje
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Spanish:
violencia
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Swedish:
våld
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Tagalog:
karahasan
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Tajik:
хушунат
(xušunat)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Tajik:
ҷабр
(jabr)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Telugu:
హింస
(hiṁsa)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Thai:
ความรุนแรง
(kwaam-run-rɛɛng)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Tibetan:
ལོག་གཡེམ་མམ་ཉེས་སྤྱོད
(log g.yem mam nyes spyod)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Turkish:
şiddet
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Turkmen:
ýowuzlyk
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Ukrainian:
наси́льство
(nasýlʹstvo)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Ukrainian:
наси́лля
(nasýllja)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Ukrainian:
ґвалт
(gvalt)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Urdu:
تشدد
(taśadud)
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Uzbek:
zoʻrlik
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Uzbek:
zoʻravonlik
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Uzbek:
kuch
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Uzbek:
shiddat
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
Vietnamese:
bạo lực
— action intended to cause destruction, pain or suffering
