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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Excerpt from "Flipped"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Facing fierce competition, particularly from China, and weak demand in Europe, the group has been undergoing a major restructuring.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Combining Paramount and Warner Bros would end a century of fierce rivalry between two of Hollywood's biggest hitmakers.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Still, some in the industry see foie gras following the familiar pattern in which Chinese exporters, honed by fierce competition at home, undercut global competitors with low prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
UniCredit is seeking to take over Commerzbank to create a European banking giant, despite fierce resistance from the German lender and the government in Berlin, itself a shareholder in Commerzbank.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
I put my hands on the table, looked at those two people sitting across from me, and opened my mouth wide so the words could come out big and fierce.
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
At the Chinese miner’s annual general meeting, Chairman Zou Laichang said that competition in the metals and mining industry is becoming fiercer amid rising geopolitical risks and resource nationalism, the Citi analyst says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 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
“But the subscription streaming market is already crowded; another entrant will make competition fiercer and profits more difficult to obtain consistently.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2025
Exxon could face an even fiercer battle this week — not only with the activist investors it is suing, but from powerful institutional investors as well.
From New York Times ● May 28, 2024
He didn’t hear their approach from behind him, but in a moment he was swept up with them: Tizerkane from the barracks, fiercer than he’d ever seen them.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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
"An open-side flanker of extraordinary intelligence, courage and relentless competitiveness, he always seemed to arrive first where the contest was fiercest."
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
The fiercest, the most fearless, the most beautiful.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
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.
