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.
Material pulled from the star formed a disk around the black hole and became intensely hot as it spiraled inward.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
However, he insisted he was taking an "intensely responsible approach by asking for a further examination of whether there are opportunities to take forward that development".
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
They also reported that in Australia, California and southwestern Europe, fires burned more intensely on protected lands, which makes them more dangerous to nearby residents and more damaging to natural habitats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
In a memoir, he wrote of how intensely he identified with the character: “Perry and I were intertwined like vines over the same grave.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
She was intensely involved in political activities as well, but she always saw to it that when Bobby was little there was food to eat and that someone—Joan, a neighbor, a friend—watched over her son.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
