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heroism

American  
[her-oh-iz-uhm] / ˈhɛr oʊˌɪz əm /

noun

  1. the qualities or attributes of a hero or heroine.

    He showed great heroism in battle.
    Synonyms:
    fortitude, daring, courage, bravery, gallantry, prowess, valor, intrepidity
    Antonyms:
    timidity, cowardice

  2. heroic conduct; courageous action.

    Pat's returning into the burning building was true heroism.
heroism British  
/ ˈhɛrəʊˌɪzəm /

noun

  1. the state or quality of being a hero

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of heroism

1660–70; hero + -ism; compare French héroïsme

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Iskander’s David is a young man whose youthful piety and heroism make him a sympathetic figure, notwithstanding the bag of cold cuts.

From Salon

Life, death, birth, illness, grief, heroism, fatigue, you know, pressure at work.

From BBC

The Arctic accomplishments of Dr. Kane paled next to the battlefield heroism of Civil War soldiers.

From Literature

The naughty boys who played on bomb sites resented the legend of heroism but took pride in capturing the flag.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sustainable gains on law and order are years away at best, despite the heroism of Harfuch’s Untouchables.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.