fierce
feers
Fierce (adj) means Aggressively powerful, intense, or savage. Example: “The lioness gave a fierce roar to protect her cubs.”
adj
1
Aggressively powerful, intense, or savage.
"The lioness gave a fierce roar to protect her cubs."
"A fierce storm battered the coastline overnight."
"The two companies are locked in fierce competition for market share."
2
Slang: impressively bold, stylish, or excellent.
"You looked fierce on the dance floor last night!"
"That jacket is fierce, where did you buy it?"
"Her outfit for the awards show was absolutely fierce."
How to use fierce
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishExtremely intense, aggressive, or powerful — and in slang, an admiring word for something bold and striking.
Common pairings
fierce competition
a fierce storm
fierce loyalty
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Word forms
- Comparative
- fiercer, more fierce
- Superlative
- fiercest, most fierce
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The lioness gave a _____ roar to protect her cubs.
Etymology
From Old French fers/fer, from Latin ferus, "wild, untamed."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for fierce
See all rhymes for fierce →Frequently asked questions
What does “fierce” mean?
The word “fierce” means aggressively powerful, intense, or savage. In plain terms, extremely intense, aggressive, or powerful — and in slang, an admiring word for something bold and striking.
How do you pronounce “fierce”?
“Fierce” is pronounced feers (/fɪɹs/ in IPA).
How do you use “fierce” in a sentence?
Here is “fierce” used in a sentence: “A fierce storm battered the coastline overnight.”
What part of speech is “fierce”?
“Fierce” is an adjective.
Where does the word “fierce” come from?
The word “fierce” comes from Latin. From Old French fers/fer, from Latin ferus, "wild, untamed.".
Is “fierce” a common word?
“Fierce” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “fierce” have?
“Fierce” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: aggressively powerful, intense, or savage.
What is the difference between fierce and ferocious?
Both describe intense aggression, but ferocious almost always suggests savage violence or extreme intensity, while fierce has a broader range and can be used more mildly or even admiringly. You can speak of fierce loyalty or fierce competition, where "ferocious" would feel too violent.
What is the difference between fierce and intense?
Fierce suggests aggressive power, force, or savagery, while intense simply means very strong or extreme in degree without implying aggression. A fierce storm feels violent, whereas an intense storm is merely very powerful.
What words commonly go with fierce?
Fierce frequently pairs with nouns like competition, rivalry, loyalty, opposition, battle, and storm. It often describes strong emotions and hard-fought contests as well as the literal savagery of animals.
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