fierce / embittered
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fierce
Describes a fight, dispute, or hostility that is carried out with great hatred, anger, and irreconcilability.
Die beiden Parteien führten einen erbitterten Streit vor Gericht.
The two parties conducted a fierce dispute in court.
The word is derived from 'bitter' (bitter). The prefix 'er-' often expresses that a state is reached. So 'erbittert' (fierce/embittered) means that someone or something has been 'made bitter' by a conflict or injustice.
Die Erfahrung hat ihn zu einem erbitterten Mann gemacht.
The experience turned him into an embittered man.
You can recognize the meaning from the word it refers to. If 'erbittert' (fierce/embittered) describes a conflict, e.g. 'Kampf' (fight) or 'Streit' (dispute), it is about the intensity of the confrontation. If it refers to a person, it describes that person's hurt and angry feeling.
Die Nachbarn führten einen erbitterten Kampf um den Gartenzaun.
The neighbors fought a fierce battle over the garden fence.
When it describes a confrontation, 'erbittert' (fierce) often stands before nouns that refer to a conflict. Common combinations are 'ein erbitterter Kampf' (a fierce battle), 'eine erbitterte Debatte' (a fierce debate), or 'erbitterte Feinde' (bitter enemies).
Es kam zu einer erbitterten Auseinandersetzung zwischen den Politikern.
A fierce confrontation broke out between the politicians.
When a person is 'erbittert' (embittered), the reason is often given with the preposition 'über' and the accusative. The structure is therefore: 'Person + sein + erbittert über + reason'.
Sie war erbittert über die ungerechte Behandlung.
She was embittered by the unfair treatment.
violent / intense
'heftig' and 'erbittert' can both describe a strong dispute or conflict. 'heftig' mainly says that something is very intense, loud, or emotional. It may also last only a short time. 'erbittert' goes further: it describes a conflict or attitude with a lot of anger, bitterness, and often long-lasting hostility. An argument can be 'heftig' without the people truly hating each other. An 'erbitterter Kampf' (fierce battle) or an 'erbitterte Diskussion' (bitter / fierce discussion) sounds much more irreconcilable. So 'heftig' is more general, while 'erbittert' is more strongly connected with anger and hostility.
Omar ist erbittert, weil er sich nach dem Gespräch ungerecht behandelt fühlt.
Omar is embittered because he feels he was treated unfairly after the conversation.
Vor dem Termin hast du mit der Kollegin heftig über den Plan gestritten.
Before the appointment, you had a heated argument with your colleague about the plan.