heroic

[ hi-roh-ik ]
See synonyms for: heroicheroicsheroically on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. Also he·ro·i·cal . of, relating to, or characteristic of a hero or heroine.

  2. suitable to the character of a hero in size or concept; daring; noble: a heroic ambition.

  1. having or displaying the character or attributes of a hero; extraordinarily bold, altruistic, determined, etc.: a heroic explorer.

  2. having or involving recourse to boldness, daring, or extreme measures: Heroic measures were taken to save his life.

  3. dealing with or describing the deeds, attributes, etc., of heroes, as in literature.

  4. of, relating to, or characteristic of the heroes of antiquity: heroic mythology.

  5. used in heroic poetry.: Compare heroic verse.

  6. resembling heroic poetry in language or style; grandiloquent.

  7. (of style or language) lofty; extravagant; grand.

  8. larger than life-size: a statue of heroic proportions.

noun
  1. Usually heroics . heroic verse.

  2. heroics,

    • flamboyant or extravagant language, sentiment, or behavior, intended to seem heroic.

    • heroic action or behavior.

Origin of heroic

1
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin hērōicus, from Greek hērōïkós “of, pertaining to a hero”; hero + -ic; compare late Middle English heroical, heroicus

Other words for heroic

Opposites for heroic

Other words from heroic

  • he·ro·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • he·ro·i·cal·ness, he·ro·ic·ness, he·ro·ic·i·ty [heer-oh-is-i-tee], /ˌhɪər oʊˈɪs ɪ ti/, noun
  • non·he·ro·ic, adjective
  • non·he·ro·i·cal, adjective
  • non·he·ro·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • non·he·ro·i·cal·ness, noun
  • non·he·ro·ic·ness, noun
  • pseu·do·he·ro·ic, adjective
  • pseu·do·he·ro·i·cal, adjective
  • pseu·do·he·ro·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • qua·si-he·ro·ic, adjective
  • qua·si-he·ro·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • su·per·he·ro·ic, adjective
  • su·per·he·ro·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • un·he·ro·ic, adjective
  • un·he·ro·ic·ness, noun
  • un·he·ro·i·cal, adjective
  • un·he·ro·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • un·he·ro·i·cal·ness, noun

Words Nearby heroic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use heroic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for heroic

heroic

heroical

/ (hɪˈrəʊɪk) /


adjective
  1. of, like, or befitting a hero

  2. courageous but desperate

  1. relating to or treating of heroes and their deeds

  2. of, relating to, or resembling the heroes of classical mythology

  3. (of language, manner, etc) extravagant

  4. prosody of, relating to, or resembling heroic verse

  5. (of the arts, esp sculpture) larger than life-size; smaller than colossal

  6. RC Church

    • held to such a degree as to enable a person to perform virtuous actions with exceptional promptness, ease and pleasure, and with self-abnegation and self-control: heroic virtue

    • performed or undergone by such a person: the heroic witness of martyrdom

Derived forms of heroic

  • heroically, adverb
  • heroicalness or heroicness, noun

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