mindmap root((残暴)) fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing appearance or fury in attack or to qualities, expressions, or events characteristic of these: a battle marked by ~ fighting. ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality: signs warned of a ~ dog. barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people: the ~ treatment of prisoners. savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, hate, fear, or other violent passions: ~ reviews of the new play. cruel implies indifference to suffering or even positive pleasure in witnessing or inflicting it: the ~ jokes of young children.