fierce

[feers]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR fierce ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, fierc·er, fierc·est.

menacingly wild, savage, or hostile: fierce animals; a fierce look.

violent in force, intensity, etc.: fierce winds.

furiously eager or intense: fierce competition.

Informal. extremely bad or severe: a fierce cold.

Origin of fierce

1250–1300; Middle English fiers < Anglo-French fers, Old French fiers (nominative) < Latin ferus wild, fierce; cf. feral¹, ferocious

Related formsfierce·ly, adverbfierce·ness, nouno·ver·fierce, adjectiveo·ver·fierce·ly, adverbo·ver·fierce·ness, nounun·fierce, adjectiveun·fierce·ly, adjective

Synonyms for fierce

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR fierce ON THESAURUS.COM

1. untamed; cruel, fell, brutal; barbarous, bloodthirsty, murderous. 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. 2, 3. furious, passionate, turbulent.

Antonyms for fierce

1. tame, mild.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for fierceness

wildness, savagery, severity, fury, barbarity, violence, ferociousness, depth, brutality, intensity, vehemence, fervency, pitch, ferment, fervor, extreme

Examples from the Web for fierceness

Contemporary Examples of fierceness

The local police have praised the women for fighting back and said their fierceness kept the assaults from moving further.
Sororities Finally Take Back the Night
Kelsey Meany
September 12, 2014
At Wimbledon a few years back, I was struck again by the fierceness of their presence, both on and off the court.
Understanding Serena Williams’s Steubenville Comments
Allison Samuels
June 20, 2013
I loved how I could hear that fierceness in tone in advance of literal understanding.
My Own Private Bollywood
Katherine Russell Rich
July 7, 2009
With time, the fierceness and the collective sweetness that underscored it grew more intelligible.
My Own Private Bollywood
Katherine Russell Rich
July 7, 2009
But to anyone who has lived in Iran in recent years, women's fierceness in the face of authority is not particularly new.
Neda: Cautionary Tale or Inspiration?
Azadeh Moaveni
June 23, 2009

Historical Examples of fierceness

When a woman loves a fierce man she takes the risk of his fierceness.
Viviette
William J. Locke
It was the new Gospel against the old Law, and the fierceness of the struggle rent her.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
Then, the bitterness of Garson's soul was revealed by the fierceness in his voice as he replied.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
She stared at him, struck dumb for the moment by the fierceness of his voice and expression.
The Coryston Family
Mrs. Humphry Ward
But if they were all mildness toward her, they were all fierceness toward one another.
White Fang
Jack London

British Dictionary definitions for fierceness

fierce

adjective

having a violent and unrestrained nature; savagea fierce dog

wild or turbulent in force, action, or intensitya fierce storm

vehement, intense, or strongfierce competition

informal very disagreeable or unpleasant

Derived Formsfiercely, adverbfierceness, noun

Word Origin for fierce

C13: from Old French fiers, from Latin ferus

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for fierceness

fierce

adj.

mid-13c., "proud, noble, bold," from Old French fers, nominative form of fer, fier "strong, overwhelming, violent, fierce, wild; proud, mighty, great, impressive" (Modern French fier "proud, haughty"), from Latin ferus "wild, untamed," from PIE root *ghwer- "wild, wild animal" (cf. Greek ther, Old Church Slavonic zveri, Lithuanian zveris "wild beast").

Original English sense of "brave, proud" died out 16c., but caused the word at first to be commonly used as an epithet, which accounts for the rare instance of a French word entering English in the nominative case. Meaning "ferocious, wild, savage" is from c.1300. Related: Fiercely; fierceness.