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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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
That includes winning a fierce battle for the No. 1 recruit in Idaho, four-star tackle Kelvin Obot.
—
Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
That reluctance fueled lengthy delays and fierce lobbying Wednesday and Thursday.
—David Lightman
updated July 3, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2025
But the competition to grab certain foods may be fierce, as they're made by hand in small batches.
—Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
The Supreme Court cases that set off the fiercest conflicts among the justices aren’t always the hot-button ones.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fierce
Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
That reluctance fueled lengthy delays and fierce lobbying Wednesday and Thursday.
—David Lightman
updated July 3, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2025
But the competition to grab certain foods may be fierce, as they're made by hand in small batches.
—Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
The Supreme Court cases that set off the fiercest conflicts among the justices aren’t always the hot-button ones.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fierce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fierce
Adjective
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On the wall behind her, Gauguin has painted glyphs like those discovered on Easter Island, and a masked female figure, ferocious and bare-breasted.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
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Last time around, the titular Addams Family member, portrayed by Jenna Ortega, saved Nevermore by solving the mystery of the Hyde’s identity and putting a stop to the ferocious creature.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Early Friday morning, intense rain caused flash flooding across Texas Hill Country.—
Rebecca Angel Baer,
Southern Living,
6 July 2025
-
There were several safety cars during the race, along with changing conditions with periods of intense rain followed by a drying track.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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With a deep, gruff voice and animus toward humanity, McCarthy was an unusual dance-music star when Nitzer Ebb started notching chart hits.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 2025
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Two months ago, the world lost a gruff and burly guitar player named Al Barile.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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With that in mind, it's expected the Dodgers will be very aggressive at the trade deadline.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
Maritz has been aggressive in challenges and positive with pushing forward into attack.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Dressed in a Versace shirt and gleaming gold chain, Shakur was still out on bond, still basking in the glow of stardom, brushing off a violent altercation with a Crip gang member inside a Sin City casino that had transpired just hours earlier after a Mike Tyson boxing match.—
Danielle Bacher,
People.com,
1 July 2025
-
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.- and Israel-backed group, has faced backlash over reports of violent and even deadly incidents around its secure sites.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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Back in ‘96 in Vegas, after shots were fired, Knight — bleeding from his scalp — made a frantic U-turn and headed west at a high speed toward Las Vegas Boulevard.—
Danielle Bacher,
People.com,
1 July 2025
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Keeping them leashed up with a comfortable harness may prevent a sudden chase after wildlife, which could in turn lead to a fall, a frantic search, or a wild animal attack.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside Online,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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An intensive moisturiser that delivers maximum hydration, Revision’s DermProtect Barrier Defense™ also replenishes natural lipids, and enhances moisture retention.—
Angela Lei,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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The military would prefer to focus on managing ever-growing threats from satellites, an intensive effort that requires continual monitoring as other nations' increasingly sophisticated spacecraft maneuver from one orbit to another.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fierce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fierce. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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