Definitions

intense

[in-tens] / ɪnˈtɛns /

ADJECTIVE

forceful, severe; passionate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acute bitter deep energetic excessive extraordinary extreme fierce great harsh heightened intensified intensive powerful profound protracted sharp strong violent vivid

WEAK

agonizing all-consuming ardent biting burning close concentrated consuming cutting diligent eager earnest exaggerated exceptional exquisite fanatical fervent fervid forcible full hard impassioned keen marked piercing pungent shrill stinging strained supreme undue vehement zealous

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aboveboard agreeable bland blunt calm dull gentle ignorant indistinct kind lazy low mild moderate nice pale peaceful shallow slow soft stupid superficial unimportant unintelligent weak

WEAK

low-key

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.

Olsen: You recently hosted the new “SNL UK” and in your monologue, you made this joke that you don’t just play intense roles, that there’s this image of you that it’s all that you do.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

Competition from rival Anthropic, whose Claude coding tool has been immensely successful since its launch in 2025, is intense.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

But it has already generated intense controversy, which has exposed deeper questions about the way inquiries into major air incidents are carried out.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

The other major worry for investors is Super Micro’s single-digit profit margin, which the company has struggled to grow due to higher costs and intense competition from peers such as Dell.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

The afternoon sun is intense, and I slip into a daze, dreaming of cool water in which to bathe.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

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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