1
as in ferocious
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
the Vikings had a well-earned reputation for being fierce warriors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
a fierce wind made the frigid temperatures seem even worse
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3
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
the fierce faces of the players on the opposing hockey team
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4
as in aggressive
having or showing a bold forcefulness in the pursuit of a goal
a social reformer of fierce and fearless determination
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5
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
fierce fighting raged in the streets of the war-torn city
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6
as in frantic
marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity
fierce early-morning trading sent stocks soaring
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fierce
Strong storms with fierce winds raced across the Carolinas on Saturday, knocking out power to 22,000 Duke Energy customers.
—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
27 June 2026
Resistance was fierce across stakeholders.
—
James G. Naples,
Fortune,
27 June 2026
In particular, Crosby, Malkin, and Rust are three of the fiercest competitors to ever wear a Penguins uniform.
—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
The four-day war was brief but fierce, with hostilities waged across vast geographies.
—
Michael Kugelman,
Time,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fierce
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
27 June 2026
Resistance was fierce across stakeholders.
—
James G. Naples,
Fortune,
27 June 2026
In particular, Crosby, Malkin, and Rust are three of the fiercest competitors to ever wear a Penguins uniform.
—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
The four-day war was brief but fierce, with hostilities waged across vast geographies.
—
Michael Kugelman,
Time,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fierce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fierce
Adjective
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Speaking of, Ross asked Janssen about the steamy bathhouse scene during which Xenia and Bond face off in an encounter that is both flirty and ferocious.
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In 2018, a blaze east of Athens moved with ferocious speed, killing more than 100 people.
Adjective
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Indie Shakes managing director David Melville distills his production around scenes of intense conflict.
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As the planet warms, extreme heat events are becoming more common, intense and long-lasting.
Adjective
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Abraham Lincoln furiously scribbled in Springfield on June 27, 1858, firing off a gruff note to the editor-in-chief of the Chicago Press & Tribune, then in business for only 11 years.
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But Rose bet that a less gruff voice, ultimately Mike Brown’s, was required to win it all.
Adjective
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Grey-zone tactics refer to a range of aggressive tactics that vary from navy ship patrols to drone flights, but fall short of direct combat.
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That will be decided in the coming hours, as the Heat remains in aggressive pursuit of a trade for Antetokounmpo.
Adjective
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The march stems from the violent 1969 police raid of the Stonewall Inn that catalyzed the gay rights movement at a time when many people who were LGBTQIA+ hid their identity.
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Over the years, Hall has responded to emergencies ranging from domestic violence calls to serious violent crimes.
Adjective
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The number of casualties is expected to climb with thousands reported missing and frantic rescue efforts continuing.
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The Chinese color research is being fueled by a frantic trend in its domestic car market where black is definitely this year’s color of choice.
Adjective
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The Yellow Death has disfigured the population, and soldiers in white-and-red tunics serve the savage Duke of Tviot.
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Josefowicz, in her decathlon of a performance, brought Ligeti’s savage discontinuities to the surface.
Adjective
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Housed in remote data centers whose energy-intensive maintenance perpetuates the changing environmental conditions that threaten Tuvalu’s existence, the attempt to redeposit territory digitally drives home the paradoxes, and costs, of storage.
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Qatari mediators returned to the Iranian capital for 17 hours of what the diplomat described as intensive negotiations.
Cite this Entry
“Fierce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fierce. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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