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Synonyms

fiercely

American  
[feers-lee] / ˈfɪərs li /

adverb

  1. in a menacing, violent, or forceful way.

    The bear stood on his back paws, growling fiercely.

    Currently, some 20 wildfires are raging fiercely through the state.

  2. in an eager or intense way.

    Isaiah has developed into a fiercely competitive soccer player.

Other Word Forms

  • overfiercely adverb
  • unfiercely adverb

Etymology

Origin of fiercely

fierce ( def. ) + -ly

Vocabulary lists containing fiercely

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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.

Alex's character was quite a contrast on and off the pitch - on it, he was fiercely competitive.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

But Elham, a contentious and fiercely competitive student, suspects that Marjan’s zeal for anglophone culture, including Hollywood romantic comedies, masks a resentment for the Iranian life she is now stuck with.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Samsung’s stellar results bode well for Micron, even as the two companies compete fiercely.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

That night, the Teesta was flowing so fiercely that it pushed the other river back and sent it into the town.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Odell never talked much, but he was friendly and fiercely loyal to Collins, and from the time he met Bobby he’d felt a deep affection for the young boy.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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.