intense
Americanadjective
-
existing or occurring in a high or extreme degree.
intense heat.
-
acute, strong, or vehement, as sensations, feelings, or emotions.
intense anger.
- Synonyms:
- strong, ardent, passionate, fervent
-
of an extreme kind; very great, as in strength, keenness, severity, or the like.
an intense gale.
-
having a characteristic quality in a high degree.
The intense sunlight was blinding.
-
strenuous or earnest, as activity, exertion, diligence, or thought.
an intense life.
-
exhibiting a high degree of some quality or action.
-
having or showing great strength, strong feeling, or tension, as a person, the face, or language.
-
susceptible to strong emotion; emotional.
an intense person.
-
(of color) very deep.
intense red.
-
Photography. dense.
adjective
-
of extreme force, strength, degree, or amount
intense heat
-
characterized by deep or forceful feelings
an intense person
Usage
Intense is sometimes wrongly used where intensive is meant: the land is under intensive (not intense ) cultivation. Intensely is sometimes wrongly used where intently is meant: he listened intently (not intensely )
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of intense
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin intēnsus, variant of intentus, past participle of the verb intendere “to stretch toward”; see in- 2, tense 1, intent 2, intend
Explanation
Intense means strong or extreme. If you accidentally spill a cup of hot coffee on yourself, you’ll probably feel intense heat, intense pain, and — if anyone happened to be watching — intense embarrassment. When using intense, we often refer to a specific feeling or emotion, as in the case of “intense dread” or “intense happiness.” Intense can also be used to describe exciting experiences as well as people with strong or insistent personalities. For example, if your intense friend insists on taking you bungee jumping, you’re guaranteed to have an intense experience. Intense comes from a Latin word meaning “stretched,” implying that something has been stretched to its maximum limit.
Vocabulary lists containing intense
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 4
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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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.
“Alice and Steve” also required her to do a few stunts in a series of intense scenes toward the end of the series, which Walker found exhilarating and worrisome.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
But, especially in Pulte’s new position, The Fellowship could be just a phone call away, given its intense focus on relationships with global leaders, and given Pulte’s ostensible closeness to his grandfather.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
The catcalls came after frustrated ticketholders waited for hours in lines that stretched more than two blocks outside Madison Square Garden on Monday due to the intense security restrictions that came with the president's appearance.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
The data reflects continuing weak domestic demand in the world’s largest auto market after years of rapid growth and intense competition.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
At the heart of the expedition was the intense planning that went on before any diving took place.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
