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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fierce
The choreography by Warren Carlyle is sensational, energetic, and whimsical, making inventive use of props including pirouetting parasols, spectacular sabres, and fierce flagging.
—
Christian Lewis, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
That whoop-ass machine is played with a fierce scowl by MMA fighter Michelle Waterson.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2025
Kate and Joe are adored for their against-all-odds love story and fierce philanthropy — but when someone threatens their new status quo, Joe handles it the old-fashioned way and lights the fuse on blowing up his entire life.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2025
Two wins fueled by fierce defense and Tyler Herro’s 38- and 30-point shows have Miami as the No. 8 seed at No. 1 Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA playoffs’ first round tonight/Sunday.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fierce
Christian Lewis, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
That whoop-ass machine is played with a fierce scowl by MMA fighter Michelle Waterson.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2025
Kate and Joe are adored for their against-all-odds love story and fierce philanthropy — but when someone threatens their new status quo, Joe handles it the old-fashioned way and lights the fuse on blowing up his entire life.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2025
Two wins fueled by fierce defense and Tyler Herro’s 38- and 30-point shows have Miami as the No. 8 seed at No. 1 Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA playoffs’ first round tonight/Sunday.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fierce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fierce
Adjective
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There’s scenario No. 1: Either Carter, a ferocious All-American pass rusher, or Hunter, a generational wide receiver-cornerback hybrid, is available, and the Patriots can add a premium talent at a position of need in what can only be described as a front-office dream.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2025
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In other words, if Instagram had even somewhat appeared as a future threat to Facebook or Facebook’s competition, there would have been a ferocious bidding war for Instagram that would have pushed its purchase price far, far above $1 billion.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Whether singing a cappella or accompanied by her guitar to hundreds or thousands of people − at a small venue or an awards show − Lafourcade's performances feel visceral, intense and intimate all at once.—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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In place of intense (and potentially irritating) acids, Mediheal's Madecassoside Blemish Pads target breakouts and breakout-causing bacteria with anti-inflammatory powerhouses madecassoside and cica.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Bowling paints with the rhythm of a gruff intellectual.—
James Russell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2025
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The actor behind the gruff but lovable Roy Kent shared a purrfectly eccentric analogy about the show's return on a recent episode of NPR's Wild Card podcast.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Even though Trump showed signs of softening his aggressive tariff plan with an exemption last week for smartphones, computers and other electronics and floated a temporary exemption for autos, the administration continues to be amadamant more tariffs are coming soon.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2025
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Young has struggled against the Heat’s aggressive defense in recent years.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The ads target the state House Democrats over taxes and violent crime, as well as women’s and girl’s safety.—
Julia Manchester,
The Hill,
22 Apr. 2025
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Angry Birds: Climate Change and Avian Migration Olivia Box April 3, 2022 Temperature fluctuations throughout the years are affecting bird migration and mating, with sometimes violent results.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Kings ran out to a four-goal lead then had to hold off a frantic Edmonton comeback to beat the Oilers 6-5 in a wild opener of a best-of-seven first-round playoff series at Crypto.com Arena on Monday night.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2025
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Until his son was cleared on June 27, Mark Dixon, a medical sales representative in the oncology field, was frantic with worry.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Apr. 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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Since early March, Israel has cut Gaza off from the supply of humanitarian aid including food, with aid agencies warning that the situation for the strip’s 2 million civilians has deteriorated dangerously, only worsened by intensive Israeli military operations.—
Irene Nasser,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2025
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Now, more than six months after first complaining of stomach pain, Butlin started her first three-month course of intensive chemotherapy on April 8.—
Vanessa Etienne,
People.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fierce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fierce. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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