English Reference

Word

fiercely

Phoneticsfierce·ly

US/ˈfɪɹsɫi/

UK/fˈiəsli/

Definitions

01with anger or aggression

B2

adv. in a way that is angry, violent, or very strong.

adv. in a physically or emotionally aggressive manner; with intense hostility or power.

“The wind blew fiercely against the windows during the storm.”

“The two rival teams competed fiercely for the championship title, refusing to concede even a single point until the final whistle.”

Antonyms

02with strong emotion or loyalty

B2

adv. with a very strong feeling of pride, love, or protection.

adv. with extreme intensity of emotion, conviction, or commitment.

“She is fiercely protective of her children and their privacy.”

“The local community is fiercely independent and has resisted several attempts by the central government to merge their council with the neighbouring city.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

indifferently

03extremely

C1

adv. used to emphasize that something is very strong or difficult.

adv. used as an intensifier to indicate a high degree of a quality, often one that is competitive or challenging.

“The tech industry is fiercely competitive, so new companies must work hard to survive.”

“The debate over the new environmental policy was fiercely contested by both political parties throughout the legislative session.”

Academic

Antonyms

Real-World Examples

“Joramo is fiercely motivated and feels she fits the possession-based style of football that Vidosic wants his team to play.”
The Guardian · 17 Aug 2026
“Google Pay and PhonePe can fight fiercely for customers while still allowing their users to transact across the same network.”
BBC News · 16 Aug 2026
“Mark Garlick / Science Photo Library via Getty Images Among biologists, few questions have been debated as fiercely as the origin of life .”
Smithsonian Magazine · 5 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English fersly; equivalent to fierce + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

fierceAdjectivefiercelyAdverb

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/fiercely

English Reference