intensity

noun

in·​ten·​si·​ty in-ˈten(t)-sə-tē 

plural intensities

1

: the quality or state of being intense

especially : extreme degree of strength, force, energy, or feeling

2

: the magnitude of a quantity (such as force or energy) per unit (as of area, charge, mass, or time)

3

: saturation sense 4a

Synonyms of intensity

• enthusiasm
• emotion
• intenseness
• warmth
• passionateness
• passion
• violence

Examples of intensity in a Sentence

the intensity of the sun's rays

the intensity of the argument

The sun shone with great intensity.

Recent Examples on the Web

Storm track, intensity Bertha will most likely track along the Gulf Coast and make landfall by late Wednesday night as a weak tropical storm near southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi. — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 21 July 2026

Skywatchers should find dark locations and look north, as the aurora's intensity also hinges on the solar wind's magnetic field orientation. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

That bite and raw intensity produce some of the album’s standout moments, transmuting jungle’s physicality across a wide emotional range with poetic verve and Nia’s woody, vulnerable, yet strident timbre. — Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026

Compared to conventional pigments that reflect light, Quantum Light’s pigments absorb and emit light with extraordinary color purity and optical intensity. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing intensity

• high-intensity interval training
• hyper-intensity

Rhymes for intensity

• immensity
• propensity
• density

Kids Definition

intensity

noun

in·​ten·​si·​ty in-ˈten(t)-sət-ē 

plural intensities

1

: the quality or state of being intense

especially : extreme strength, force, or feeling

2

: the degree or amount of a quality or condition

the intensity of an electric field

Medical Definition

intensity

noun

in·​ten·​si·​ty in-ˈten(t)-sət-ē 

plural intensities

1

: the quality or state of being intense

especially : extreme degree of strength, force, energy, or feeling

2

: the magnitude of a quantity (as force or energy) per unit (as of surface, charge, mass, or time)

3

: saturation sense 4a