Dictionary

fiercely en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɪɹsli/ (General-American)
• /ˈfɪjəslɪj/ (British, Southern, Standard)
• /-lɪ/ (Scotland)
• /ˈfɪəsli/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈfiəsli/ (New-Zealand)
• /-li/ (Scotland)
• (US) audio
• /ˈfɪːslɪj/ (British, Southern, Standard)
• /ˈfɛːsli/ East Anglia, cheer–chair merger
• /ˈfiɾsle/ (Scotland)

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. In a fierce manner.
   • The wind blew fiercely and the rain fell heavily.
   • Russia said at the weekend that its forces had recaptured Kursk, the border region where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive last year, though Kyiv insists its troops are fiercely battling to preserve their foothold in the territory. 2025 April 28, Helen Regan, Michael Rios, Darya Tarasova, Tim Lister, “Putin thanks North Korea for help in Kursk, as Germany criticizes US plan for Ukrainian concessions”, in CNN, archived from the original on 14 Aug 2025:
   • They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too. 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
   • He helped himself to a cigar and leaned back with a fiercely critical pair of eyes, taking note of the effect which this document would produce. 1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
2. Extremely; to a large degree.
   • a fiercely loved woman
   • fiercely disappointed
   • fiercely loyal
   • Because their daughter was fiercely independent and living on her own, they avoided calling that weekend. 2026 July 16, Nicholas Muhoro, “Inside the 2004 Brianna Maitland Case: One of Vermont’s Most Haunting Mysteries”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 21 Jul 2026:
   • Tuchel made it three out of three against Guardiola by producing a fiercely disciplined, positive Chelsea performance that has brought a season that was shrouded in uncertainty to the most glorious conclusion. 2021 May 29, Phil McNulty, “Manchester City 0-1 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 21 Apr 2022:
   • fiercely independent
   • a fiercely proud father
   • fiercely competitive

Forms

Translations (36)

fr âprement (in a fierce manner) · it perfidamente (in a fierce manner) · ka მძვინვარედ (in a fierce manner) · pl ostro (in a fierce manner) · es fieramente (in a fierce manner) · hu vadul (in a fierce manner) · ru свире́по (in a fierce manner) · fi rajusti (in a fierce manner) · ru жесто́ко (in a fierce manner) · fy fûl (in a fierce manner) · ca feroçment (in a fierce manner) · it accanitamente (in a fierce manner) · fi hurjasti (in a fierce manner) · pl zawzięcie (in a fierce manner) · el αγρίως (in a fierce manner) · fr farouchement (in a fierce manner) · fi tulisesti (in a fierce manner) · sh žestoko (in a fierce manner) · ru неи́стово (in a fierce manner) · it trucemente (in a fierce manner) · enm wode (in a fierce manner) · it tenacemente (in a fierce manner) · el άγρια (in a fierce manner) · la atrociter (in a fierce manner) · fi raivokkaasti (in a fierce manner) · pt ferozmente (in a fierce manner) · uk лю́то (in a fierce manner) · enm fersly (in a fierce manner) · la ferociter (in a fierce manner) · it ferocemente (in a fierce manner) · pl gwałtownie (in a fierce manner) · de wütend (in a fierce manner) · de heftig (in a fierce manner) · ru лю́то (in a fierce manner) · ru я́ростно (in a fierce manner) · sh жестоко (in a fierce manner)