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.
The result, she said, is that consumers may internalize economic anxiety more intensely than they did during earlier periods of high inflation.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
That result created a puzzle for scientists because the climate during that period was still believed to be intensely cold and difficult for humans to endure.
From Science Daily • May 13, 2026
As she told the Bump, “Deeply feeling kids are kids who experience emotions more intensely and more deeply than other kids. That means that they react more strongly to situations. Their feelings last longer.”
From Slate • May 10, 2026
The unusually early jockeying shows just how intensely investors want a piece of the company before it goes public.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
He was no longer distracted by the sky and was, instead, staring intensely at the king.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
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.
