fierce
Americanadjective
-
menacingly wild, savage, or hostile.
fierce animals;
a fierce look.
-
violent in force, intensity, etc..
fierce winds.
- Synonyms:
- passionate, furious, turbulent
-
furiously eager or intense.
fierce competition.
- Synonyms:
- turbulent, passionate, furious
-
extremely bad or severe.
a fierce cold.
adjective
-
having a violent and unrestrained nature; savage
a fierce dog
-
wild or turbulent in force, action, or intensity
a fierce storm
-
vehement, intense, or strong
fierce competition
-
informal very disagreeable or unpleasant
Synonym Usage
Fierce, ferocious, truculent suggest vehemence and violence of temper, manner, or action: fierce in repelling a foe. Ferocious implies fierceness or cruelty, especially of a bloodthirsty kind, in disposition or action: a ferocious glare; ferocious brutality toward helpless refugees. Truculent suggests an intimidating or bullying fierceness of manner or conduct: His truculent attitude kept them terrified and submissive.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of fierce
First recorded in 1300–1350; from Middle English fiers, fers, from Old French fiers, fers, from Latin ferus “wild, fierce”; cf. feral 1, ferocious
Explanation
Fierce is ferocious and forceful, like a lion. When you are fierce, opponents fear you. Despite their loss, the talented JV team put up a fierce fight against the varsity squad. Fierce comes from the Latin ferus 'wild animal.' It means strong, proud, dangerous and ready to roar. Fierce can also be used to mean intense. The family was known for their fierce pride. If you have a fierce work ethic, you don't rest until you finish the job. And a fierce storm can really devastate a community.
Vocabulary lists containing fierce
Beowulf vocabulary
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Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
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Excerpt from "Flipped"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It could face "fierce opposition" if that means people who would not have faced inheritance tax will now have their estates taxed, the paper adds.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
This has drawn a counterpetition and a backlash so fierce, the Chronicle of Higher Education called it a “War for Sociology.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
The attack immediately revived memories of a series of deadly assaults that have shaken Germany in recent years and fuelled fierce debate over security.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
Such an agreement would likely spur an industrywide price war and fierce competition for customers — the main reason why the biggest three operators have vowed not to ink this sort of partnership.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 25, 2026
“Who would ever suppose that three fierce tygers could make such soothing noises?”
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
As well as fiercer competition from abroad, Europe’s chemicals suppliers are facing a fresh blow from war in the Middle East.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
Spain has in recent years endured longer and more intense summer heatwaves, while fiercer autumn storms have drenched the country with torrential rain -- extreme weather events that scientists attribute to human-driven climate change.
From Barron's ● Nov. 26, 2025
There have been warnings of fiercer competition for places at sixth form colleges this year.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2025
As John Maynard Keynes said of the challenges of overpopulation, the “chaining up of the one devil may, if we are careless, only serve to lose another still fiercer and more intractable.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2025
"Aren't you counting Elinor? You should! She’s much fiercer than I am, and just at the moment she is very, very angry."
From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke
In a statement, McMaster said Graham was “irreplaceable,” calling him “the fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
The defending champions will now reignite one of the fiercest rivalries in world soccer when it faces England in the semifinals on Wednesday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
Apple has been one of the law's fiercest critics, calling on the EU to repeal the DMA last year.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
Entire towns retreat indoors during the fiercest hours, emerging again only in the evening.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
"But unicorns are the deadliest, fiercest, and most bloodthirsty of all creatures, both mundane and supernatural. Their kill ratio is six times higher than a dragon's."
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
