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View synonyms for intense

intense

[ in-tens ]

adjective

  1. existing or occurring in a high or extreme degree:

    intense heat.

  2. acute, strong, or vehement, as sensations, feelings, or emotions:

    intense anger.

    Synonyms: strong, ardent, passionate, fervent

  3. of an extreme kind; very great, as in strength, keenness, severity, or the like:

    an intense gale.

  4. having a characteristic quality in a high degree:

    The intense sunlight was blinding.

  5. strenuous or earnest, as activity, exertion, diligence, or thought:

    an intense life.

  6. exhibiting a high degree of some quality or action.
  7. having or showing great strength, strong feeling, or tension, as a person, the face, or language.
  8. susceptible to strong emotion; emotional:

    an intense person.

  9. (of color) very deep:

    intense red.

  10. Photography. dense ( def 4 ).


intense

/ ɪnˈtɛns /

adjective

  1. of extreme force, strength, degree, or amount

    intense heat

  2. characterized by deep or forceful feelings

    an intense person

“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


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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 )
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Derived Forms

  • inˈtenseness, noun
  • inˈtensely, adverb
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Other Words From

  • in·tense·ly adverb
  • in·tense·ness noun
  • hy·per·in·tense adjective
  • hy·per·in·tense·ness noun
  • o·ver·in·tense adjective
  • o·ver·in·tense·ness noun
  • su·per·in·tense adjective
  • su·per·in·tense·ness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of intense1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin intēnsus, variant of intentus, past participle of the verb intendere “to stretch toward”; in- 2, tense 1, intent 2, intend
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Word History and Origins

Origin of intense1

C14: from Latin intensus stretched, from intendere to stretch out; see intend
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Example Sentences

These intense blazes can level vast stretches of the forest rather than simply clearing out the undergrowth and leaving the big trees standing, says Scott Stephens, a professor of fire science at UC Berkeley.

It faced intense pressure to ensure that — just as Airbus promised — pilots transferring from earlier 737 models didn’t need expensive additional simulator training.

From Fortune

Apple Watch SEThere’s now a cheaper version of the Watch for people who don’t need the most intense sensors.

In the face of intense pressure to produce the rushed Salk vaccine, Merck was the only involved company to withdraw from the flawed national rollout.

From Fortune

Such homes offer support beyond traditional foster homes for families caring for children with intense mental health needs.

A lot of your reflections on the classics are pretty intense, have you ever thought about being a film critic?

During the intense firefight that followed, four Kurdish fighters died, including three of Ahmed's cousins.

What she did win, though, was the ever-more intense ardor of her growing number of liberal fans.

The relationship between you and your fans, you say, is intense, particularly over social media.

Our pain is our own and it's no less intense or painful that he had lost someone he loved that what I was going through.

He couldn't sell them; he couldn't burn them; he was even compelled to insure them, to his intense disgust.

Feeling secure regarding their happiness and welfare, she did not miss them except with an occasional intense longing.

In these archipelagos the waters being shallow, the frost was quite intense enough to cool them to the bottom.

And now everybody turned out with a feeling of intense relief to witness the rejoicings on the village green.

There was no moon, and the trees bordering both sides of the way made the darkness intense.

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Intensintensely