Violent means using physical force to hurt, damage, or destroy. A violent storm might tear down trees and rip roofs off houses. A violent person uses force to harm others, like hitting or attacking. When something happens violently, it happens with sudden, destructive force.

The word describes both people's actions and natural events. An earthquake can be violent, shaking buildings until they collapse. An argument becomes violent when people start pushing or fighting instead of just talking. A violent movie shows characters hurting each other, often with weapons or explosions. Video games rated for older players often contain violent content that's not appropriate for younger kids.

Violence involves deliberate or powerful force that causes harm. If you accidentally bump into someone in the hallway, that's not violence. But if someone deliberately shoves another person hard enough to hurt them, that's violence. Violent crime refers to serious offenses where people get physically hurt, like robbery or assault.

Related words help show the meaning: violent actions are forceful and aggressive, the opposite of gentle or peaceful. The noun form is violence. When countries try to solve conflicts through talking instead of fighting, they're avoiding violence and choosing peaceful solutions.