intensely
Americanadverb
-
to a high or extreme degree.
Many ingredients are rolled into this intensely flavorful and very versatile curry paste.
-
(said in reference to emotions or feelings) acutely, strongly, or vehemently.
We should all be intensely angry about what is happening, and should do something besides just sitting at our computers absorbing information.
I disliked the book intensely.
-
earnestly or strenuously; in a highly engaged or involved way.
The first time I watched the documentary, all I saw was these four people talking intensely about their music.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of intensely
Explanation
Anything that happens in an extreme or profound way is done intensely, like your practice of staring intensely at your cat in an attempt to read his mind. A roaring fire burns intensely, and you'd be the first to admit that you love your dog intensely. This fierce and strong adverb works well for things that are literally or figuratively powerful, so you can study intensely for your geometry quiz or witness an intensely destructive earthquake. The Latin root, intensus, means "stretched, strained, or tight."
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.
Once in London, the tapestry will be displayed flat, for the first time, in a specially made glass case in a "choreography with I think 80 different conservators -- intensely careful, difficult work".
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
Since astronomers first identified them in the early 2000s, they have struggled to explain why these explosions remain intensely bright long after a massive star's iron core collapses and blasts its outer layers into space.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 2026
But the feeling of release as the bowstrings were left vibrating in my arms was palpable, intensely satisfying.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
Those two years must be intensely focused on what must be done after he is gone.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
To do it properly I know I have to wait to spring efficiently, intensely, in such a way as to get to the jugular of the whole thing in one or two swipes.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
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.
