WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
fierce /fɪrs/USA pronunciation
adj., fierc•er, fierc•est.
fierce•ness, n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- wild, savage, or hostile:fierce beasts.
- violent in force, intensity, etc.:a fierce hurricane.
- furiously eager or intense:fierce competition.
- Informal Termsextremely bad or severe:a fierce cold.
fierce•ness, n. [uncountable]
fierce
(fērs),USA pronunciation adj., fierc•er, fierc•est.
fierce′ly, adv.
fierce′ness, n.
- menacingly wild, savage, or hostile:fierce animals; a fierce look.
- violent in force, intensity, etc.:fierce winds.
- furiously eager or intense:fierce competition.
- Informal Termsextremely bad or severe:a fierce cold.
- Latin ferus wild, fierce; compare feral1, ferocious
- Anglo-French fers, Old French fiers (nominative)
- Middle English fiers 1250–1300
fierce′ness, n.
- 1. untamed; cruel, fell, brutal; barbarous, bloodthirsty, murderous. Fierce, ferocious, truculent suggest vehemence and violence of temper, manner, or action:fierce in repelling a foe.Ferocious implies fierceness or cruelty, esp. 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. 2. 3. furious, passionate, turbulent.
- 1. tame, mild.
'fiercely' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
blaze
- roar
- wolf
- boiling
- driven
- felly
- glare
- glaring
- hammer and tongs
- iron-jawed
- tigerish
- tooth and nail
- wolfish
- wuther