1
as in ferocious
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
the Vikings had a well-earned reputation for being fierce warriors
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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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as in intensity
the quality or state of being forceful (as in expression)
the fierceness of her denial prompted many people to wonder if maybe she was innocent after all
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fierce
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
So the family fled back to their home in Aleppo, which was once the site of some of the civil war’s fiercest battles but now offered a safe haven.
—Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Amie Parnes, The Hill, 10 Dec. 2025
His fierceness, driven by the need to protect his child, is the motor of a movie that people have continued to see (and talk about) for months after its September release.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fierce
Adjective
Finally, as a small businessman trying to survive in a profession where a head bob can be the difference between the winner’s circle and anonymity, Romans has learned the value of fierce loyalty tempered by compromise and the lost art of listening.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
So the family fled back to their home in Aleppo, which was once the site of some of the civil war’s fiercest battles but now offered a safe haven.
—Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Noun
Newsom’s allies attribute much of this to the governor’s fierceness in the redistricting efforts.
—Amie Parnes, The Hill, 10 Dec. 2025
His fierceness, driven by the need to protect his child, is the motor of a movie that people have continued to see (and talk about) for months after its September release.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fierce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fierce
Adjective
-
Behind a ferocious defense and an offense that couldn’t miss, the Knicks led by 25 points after one quarter, by as many as 51 points in the first half, and by as many as 61 points after halftime.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap have always been ferocious rappers, two goliaths spitting bilingual bars over gritty electronica with the couplet-completing precision of Run the Jewels.—
Dean Van Nguyen,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
By the final showdown, the production has made use of every bit of stage space, with sensational flying sequences (choreographed by Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant) that allow the vampires to float, hover, and—in one especially intense moment—dive from that bridge.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The moment has sparked an outpouring of empathy, with many pointing to the intense pressure drivers face on the job.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Iron Maiden’s singer when Smith joined, Di’Anno, had short hair and a uniquely gruff voice but couldn’t cut it on the road.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Goldstein plays gruff retired footballer and now assistant coach of AFC Richmond Roy Kent.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Gregory Bovino, the controversial head of aggressive enforcement activities in Chicago and Minneapolis, resigned from the agency.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
That approach, paired with more outreach to Black residents, may help increase the city’s affordable housing stock and close the gap in Black homeownership, though some city council members have urged a more aggressive push on affordable housing.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The group above is wanted in connection with a violent robbery on board a CTA bus in Washington Park on April 9.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
-
More heavy elements, more violent eruptions.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
3 May 2026
Adjective
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As oxygen runs out and the girl’s frantic parents demand action, cracks begin to appear in their story.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
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But some key details remain unknown, including exactly what went down during those frantic seconds at the hotel and what motivated him.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Here, the trio sharpens its focus, marrying clever production with the soul-eating intensity that propelled its rise.—
Dean Van Nguyen,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Classic shades such as oxblood and rust provide an intensity that doesn’t overpower when used in head-to-toe looks, while statured reds add energy.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This time playing an underling rather than a boss, Hoskins gave one of the best performances of his career in what remains a high point for Jordan as well, a lyrical and poignant yet savage film noir filled with regret, rage, and unrequited love.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
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The famed African American journalist investigated lynchings across the South and wrote about the savage incidents that the white press had already explained away.—
Case Thorp,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fierce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fierce. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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