fierceness

American  

[feers-nis] / ˈfɪərs nɪs /

noun

1. a menacingly wild, savage, or hostile quality or character.

   In spite of the fierceness of the enemy barrage, the line was made secure.

   After many threats, he rushed at me with the fierceness of a wolf.

2. violent force, intensity, etc..

   Already the sudden storm is passing, and its fierceness is abating.

3. furious eagerness or intensity of emotion, etc..

   As I read her novel my heart was moved by the fierceness of her love for humanity.

4. the quality of being extremely bad or severe.

   Only by the fifth day, when the fierceness of the headache started to decrease, was she able to move normally again.

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Other Word Forms

• overfierceness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of fierceness

First recorded in 1350–1400; fierce ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fierceness

In the book’s moving final pages, the mouse faces down the oncoming waves with all the fierceness of a captain at the prow of her ship.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

“The fierceness and price and cost demands of China’s markets make the winners emerging from here far more globally fit than most any other country’s environment will produce.”

From Barron's ● Nov. 7, 2025

“He mentioned that he liked the idea of Sinatra having a real humanity to her,” says Nicholson, who in flashbacks is soft and in the story’s present all brittle, escalating fierceness.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2025

The fierceness of the defence obviously stayed with Goldie - he later saw a poodle and hastily flew away.

From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2025

I believed in him completely just then, believed in the fierceness flashing in his wild eyes.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston

Related Words

• wildness