fierce

[ feers ]

adjective

, fierc·er, fierc·est.

1. menacingly wild, savage, or hostile:

   fierce animals;

   a fierce look.

   Synonyms: murderous, bloodthirsty, barbarous, brutal, fell, cruel

   Antonyms: mild, tame

2. violent in force, intensity, etc.:

   fierce winds.

   Synonyms: turbulent, passionate, furious

3. furiously eager or intense:

   fierce competition.

   Synonyms: turbulent, passionate, furious

4. extremely bad or severe:

   a fierce cold.

fierce

/ fɪəs /

adjective

1. having a violent and unrestrained nature; savage

   a fierce dog

2. wild or turbulent in force, action, or intensity

   a fierce storm

3. vehement, intense, or strong

   fierce competition

4. informal.
   very disagreeable or unpleasant

Derived Forms

• ˈfiercely, adverb
• ˈfierceness, noun

Other Words From

• fierce·ly adverb
• fierce·ness noun
• o·ver·fierce adjective
• un·fierce adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fierce¹

First recorded in 1300–1350; from Middle English fiers, fers, from Old French fiers, fers, from Latin ferus “wild, fierce”; feral ¹, ferocious

Word History and Origins

Origin of fierce¹

C13: from Old French fiers , from Latin ferus

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Throughout the fifties, in city after city, fluoridation became the subject of fierce debate.

From The Daily Beast

They had also come “to remind America of the fierce urgency of now.”

From The Daily Beast

The organizers certainly appeared worried about plunging into the notoriously fierce world of London fashion and media.

From The Daily Beast

“The competition is very fierce, we have very good competitors,” he told the Daily Beast.

From The Daily Beast

I so loved the fierce bodily contact of football that I suppose my enthusiasm made up somewhat for my lack of size.

From The Daily Beast

To others the fierce desire for social justice obliterates all fear of a general catastrophe.

From Project Gutenberg

The beauty, the mystery,—this fierce sunshine or something—stir——' She hesitated for a fraction of a second.

From Project Gutenberg

He breathed fierce and honest anathema on the heads of the bowelless fiends who had abandoned the babe to its doom.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a very dangerous one, too, and sometimes lives were sacrificed in his efforts to capture or to kill this fierce wild beast.

From Project Gutenberg

This harmless image of a fierce beast Yung Pak would pull about the floor with a string by the hour.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• angry
• bold
• brutal
• cutthroat
• dangerous
• ferocious
• fiery
• furious
• intense
• murderous
• passionate
• powerful
• raging
• relentless
• savage
• stormy
• strong
• terrible
• vehement
• vicious