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
Waves of deadly air strikes by Russia’s Sukhoi and Tupolev jets, working in concert with Iranian and Shiite militias, shifted the momentum on the battlefield, inflicting fierce blows on the rebel forces.
—
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
Caruso ran and narrowly lost to Karen Bass in the last election, then became a fierce critic of the mayor — never more so than in the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that wiped out the Pacific Palisades and Altadena in early 2025.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 6 Feb. 2026
Still, the statement that the video was taken down quickly is not entirely true once its obvious depiction got a fierce reception.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
Meaning fierce competition is best at reducing prices.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fierce
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
Caruso ran and narrowly lost to Karen Bass in the last election, then became a fierce critic of the mayor — never more so than in the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that wiped out the Pacific Palisades and Altadena in early 2025.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 6 Feb. 2026
Still, the statement that the video was taken down quickly is not entirely true once its obvious depiction got a fierce reception.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
Meaning fierce competition is best at reducing prices.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fierce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fierce
Adjective
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The press was ferocious and organised, with the number of box entries and chances created being higher than any league performance this season.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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What Lee did not anticipate was the iron resolve, the ferocious tenacity, of the Union defenders.—
Jamelle Bouie,
Mercury News,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Many Olympians—Nordic skiers, for instance—pay a lot of attention to a measure called their VO2 max—the highest volume of oxygen your body can consume and use during a minute of intense exercise.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
11 Feb. 2026
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Valentine’s Day in a first teen relationship should feel simple, sweet, and age-appropriate, not intense or pressured.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The characters are well developed and unpredictable—perhaps none more so than John Stone, Nasir’s gruff public-defense attorney.—
Stephanie Bai,
The Atlantic,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Also present was the gruff playwright.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In the meantime, an unstable government could become more rather than less aggressive, not least to keep younger hard-liners from rebelling.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Feb. 2026
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Wiener helped push two new California laws last year — the No Secret Police Act and the No Vigilantes Act — in the wake of intense and aggressive immigration enforcement by masked ICE and other federal agents in California and around the country.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Now polling suggests the public, and even Republican leaders in Congress, have stopped buying the White House’s claims that federal agents’ paramilitary-style raids only target violent criminals.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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The takeover of the arts is less violent and a bit more insidious, but just as dangerous in its own right.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Maya is frantic, given that this is her boss’ car.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2026
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Despite first gaining notoriety as a frantic comedy YouTuber, the singer has spent most of the last decade as a purveyor of somber alt-R&B.—
Mehan Jayasuriya,
Pitchfork,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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On his second, Dominique pulled off a savage windmill, the same dunk that had earned a perfect score the year before and won him the title.—
Kevin Sherrington
Feb. 10,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Meantime, outflows both from both software and crypto (an asset class most correlated with unprofitable tech stocks) grew excessive until the savage software/bitcoin selloff hit an extreme Thursday, when money came sloshing in to catch the falling knives.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Members provide intensive mentoring, conflict mediation, case management, and connections to job training and mental health services to people at the highest risk of being involved in gun violence.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
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But, for those looking for a slightly less intensive experience, the semi-serious murder party—which tends to take place, and to wrap up, during one dinner—has come roaring back in popularity.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fierce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fierce. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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