volcanic

adjective

väl-ˈka-nik How to pronounce volcanic (audio)
Definition of volcanicnext
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity a man with a volcanic temper that could go off at any moment

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of volcanic Here in a quiet public garden overlooked by the tourist guides, his fingers reverently trace a volcanic stone from Þingvellir, the ancient cradle of Icelandic democracy. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026 Mann said that the study doesn't have a complete record of corals over the past 1,000 years, and also that his research has shown that volcanic eruptions have played more of a role than climate change in past El Niño events. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 The stones are pink because they're made of rhyolite, a rock formed from ancient volcanic activity. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Nearly two miles underwater, southwest of Walker Seamount, in an unnamed volcanic feature, researchers spotted a golden orb about four inches in diameter, smooth and shiny, with a hole in the middle, attached to a rock on the seafloor. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for volcanic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volcanic
  1. violent
  2. turbulent
  3. ferocious
  4. fierce
  5. furious
  6. explosive
Adjective
  • In the days since, the incident has sparked another round of reckoning with safety for LGBTQ people in Sacramento’s Lavender Heights neighborhood, which has seen a number of violent incidents in recent years.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Scientists hoped the probe would help build a geologic history of the moon to better understand its violent origins in a cosmic impact.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of violent
Adjective
  • Prototype points toward larger trials To demonstrate the design, the researchers produced a marine buoy that remained stable in a turbulent seawater tank rotated up to 45 degrees.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The report from the Government Accountability Office found delays and holes in how the Secret Service updates its policies regarding threats, and arrives after a few turbulent years for the agency charged with the president’s protection.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of turbulent
Adjective
  • That was the last time Tamang saw Yangri, who was whisked away by ferocious flash floods that ripped through this part of the Himalayan nation earlier this week.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The run game of Agoura is ferocious and experienced, but Westlake’s QB play is better.
    — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ferocious
Adjective
  • Casemiro and Messi, fierce rivals when Casemiro was at Real Madrid and Messi at Barcelona, celebrated together, a rare sight for longtime La Liga fans.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Pearce was celebrating five years of Opry membership and would return later to channel many aspects of Dolly, from her humor and fierce independence to her Appalachian roots.
    — Chris Parton, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • Kavanagh was furious and repeatedly made her concerns clear to her superiors at Sky.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Mother Love Bone had experienced the kind of instant success that made other local bands furious, signing a record deal after playing fewer than 10 shows.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of furious
Adjective
  • In June, the FBI arrested five suspects in an alleged plot to target the Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the White House South Lawn with explosive-laden drones.
    — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, the explosive Coleman Report unleashed a 60-year debate over race, resources, and what education in America is actually for.
    — Rund Abdelfatah, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of explosive

Browse Nearby Words

volatility
volcanic
volcano
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Volcanic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/volcanic. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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