heroic

¹he·ro·ic

adjective \hi-ˈrō-ik also her-ˈō- or hē-ˈrō-\

Definition of HEROIC

1

: of, relating to, resembling, or suggesting heroes especially of antiquity

2

a : exhibiting or marked by courage and daring

b : supremely noble or self-sacrificing

3

a : of impressive size, power, extent, or effect <a heroic voice>

b (1) : of great intensity : extreme <heroic effort> (2) : of a kind that is likely only to be undertaken to save a life <heroic surgery>

4

: of, relating to, or constituting drama written during the Restoration in heroic couplets and concerned with a conflict between love and honor

— he·ro·ical·ly \-i-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Variants of HEROIC

he·ro·ic also he·ro·ical \-i-kəl\

Examples of HEROIC

1. It was heroic of those women to fight for the right to vote.
2. The soldiers received medals for their heroic actions.
3. Despite heroic efforts to save the business, it ultimately went bankrupt.
4. a political battle of heroic proportions

First Known Use of HEROIC

1549

Related to HEROIC

Synonyms

bold, courageous, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, gutty, brave (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, undauntable, undaunted, valiant, valorous

Antonyms

chicken, chickenhearted, chicken-livered, coward, cowardly, craven, dastardly, fainthearted, fearful, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered [archaic], nerveless, poltroon, poor-spirited, pusillanimous, spineless, spiritless, timorous, uncourageous, ungallant, unheroic, weakhearted, yellow

Related Words

determined, firm, game, gamy (or gamey), gritty, plucky, resolute, Spartan, undeterred, undismayed, unflinching, unswerving; mettlesome, spirited, spunky; adventuresome, adventurous, audacious, daring, dashing, hardy, venturesome, venturous; crazy, foolish, half-witted, insane, lunatic, mad, nutty; brash, brazen, daredevil, foolhardy, heedless, hotheaded, impetuous, imprudent, impulsive, incautious, madcap, overbold, overconfident, rash, reckless, thoughtless, wild; hasty, headlong, precipitate; comforted, emboldened, encouraged, heartened, reassured, unafraid

Near Antonyms

diffident, mousy (or mousey), scary, shy, skittish, timid; anxious, apprehensive, nervous; careful, cautious, heedful, prudent, unadventurous; afraid, agitated, disconcerted, disquieted, disturbed, frightened, horrified, panicked, panic-stricken, perturbed, scared, shocked, spooked, startled, terrified, terrorized, unnerved, upset; appalled, concerned, dismayed, worried; unmanly, weak, wimpy

²heroic

noun

Definition of HEROIC

1

: a heroic verse or poem

2

plural

a : flamboyantly heroic language or action

b : heroic action or behavior

c : determined effort especially in the face of difficulty

First Known Use of HEROIC

1596

Other Literature Terms

apophasis, bathos, bildungsroman, bowdlerize, caesura, coda, doggerel, euphemism, poesy, prosody

Rhymes with HEROIC

azoic, echoic

he·ro·ic

adjective \hi-ˈrō-ik also her-ˈō- or hē-ˈrō-\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of HEROIC

1

: of a kind that is likely to be undertaken only to save life <heroic surgery> <heroic treatment>

2

: having a pronounced effect—used chiefly of medicaments or dosage <heroic doses> <a heroic drug>