dense

\ ˈden(t)s

denser; densest

Definition of dense

1a : marked by compactness or crowding together of parts dense vegetation dense traffic

b chemistry : having a high mass (see mass entry 2 sense 1c) per unit volume (see volume entry 1 sense 2) Carbon dioxide is a dense gas. The cake was overly sweet and dense.

2a : slow to understand : stupid, thickheaded was too dense to get the joke

b : extreme dense ignorance

3 mathematics : having between any two elements at least one element The set of rational numbers is dense.

4 : demanding concentration to follow or comprehend dense prose

5 : having high or relatively high opacity (see opacity sense 2) a dense fog a dense photographic negative

Other Words from dense Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about dense

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Choose the Right Synonym for dense

stupid, dull, dense, crass, dumb mean lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions. stupid implies a slow-witted or dazed state of mind that may be either congenital or temporary. stupid students just keeping the seats warm stupid with drink dull suggests a slow or sluggish mind such as results from disease, depression, or shock. monotonous work that leaves the mind dull dense implies a thickheaded imperviousness to ideas. too dense to take a hint crass suggests a grossness of mind precluding discrimination or delicacy. a crass, materialistic people dumb applies to an exasperating obtuseness or lack of comprehension. too dumb to figure out what's going on

Examples of dense in a Sentence

They cut a path through the dense jungle. a dense tangle of wires a dense cluster of stars That part of the city has a dense population of immigrants. A dense mass of spectators filled the courtroom. In the movie, she plays his kind but somewhat dense aunt.

Recent Examples on the Web That's why we're told to turn off our high beams, and to slow down instead, when driving through a dense fog. — Damon Linker, TheWeek, "The great uncertainty," 12 May 2020 May 8, 2020 Island Express hasn’t filed an answer to the lawsuit stemming from the January crash in Calabasas amid dense fog on the way to a youth basketball game at Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy. — Nathan Fenno, Los Angeles Times, "Kobe Bryant knew risks of flying before deadly crash, pilot’s brother says," 11 May 2020 But the flavor of custard ice cream, and the texture the yolks add — smooth, thick and dense, with a pleasant chewiness — can’t be matched. — Los Angeles Times, "How to Boil Water: Custard ice cream," 14 Apr. 2020 Are pandemics inevitable when living things are bound so tightly together in a dense, planetary sphere? — Kate Brown, The New Yorker, "The Pandemic Is Not a Natural Disaster," 13 Apr. 2020 Enjoy plant-centric, nutrient-dense, clean-ingredient food, tailored exactly to your needs (i.e. gluten-free, vegan, dairy/nut/soy-free), that’s easy to pair with meals already in your fridge. — Kimberly Wilson, Essence, "Prepared Meal Services That Deliver Right To Your Door," 11 Apr. 2020 For the better part of this millennium, the nation’s urban planning punditry has predicted that the future lay with its densest, largest, and most cosmopolitan cities. — Joel Kotkin, Fortune, "After coronavirus, we need to rethink densely populated cities," 1 Apr. 2020 Hundreds of five-star reviews speak for themselves — but would the One-Step Dryer actually make a dent in my dense, wavy, mid-length hair? — Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, "Is Revlon’s One-Step Dryer Really Worth The Hype?," 24 Mar. 2020 From there, a pebble cloud will collapse, popping out planetesimals—plural, because the conservation of angular momentum spins out two or more dense, kilometer-scale bodies from the infalling material. — Lee Billings, Scientific American, "New Horizons May Have Solved Planet Formation Cold Case," 20 Feb. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dense.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

23 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Dense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dense. Accessed 3 Jun. 2020.

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More Definitions for dense

dense

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of dense

: having parts that are close together

: crowded with people

informal : not smart : not able to understand things easily

See the full definition for dense in the English Language Learners Dictionary

dense

adjective

\ ˈdens

denser; densest

Kids Definition of dense

1 : having its parts crowded together : thick dense vegetation dense fog

2 : stupid sense 1 I'm not dense enough to believe this story.

Choose the Right Synonym for dense

dense, thick, and compact mean having parts that are gathered tightly together. dense is used of something in which the parts are very close together. They lost their way in the dense forest. thick is used of something that has many small parts that form a single mass. He has a thick head of hair. compact is used of something that has a close and firm gathering of parts, especially within a small area. The laptop has a compact design.