variants
or less commonly heroical
1
: of or relating to courageous people or the mythological or legendary figures of antiquity : of, relating to, resembling, or suggesting heroes especially of antiquity
heroic legends
the heroic age
2
a
: exhibiting or marked by courage and daring
It was a heroic decision.
b
: supremely noble or self-sacrificing
a heroic gesture
received medals for their heroic actions
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
1
: a verse or poem written during the Restoration using rhyming couplets in iambic pentameter and concerned with a conflict between love and honor : a heroic verse or poem
2
heroics plural
a
: flamboyantly boastful language or action
avoids heroics in his writing
b
: courageous, noble, or self-sacrificing action or behavior : heroic action or behavior
the heroics of the civil rights movement
c
: determined effort especially in the face of difficulty
Synonyms
Examples of heroic in a Sentence
Adjective
It was heroic of those women to fight for the right to vote.
The soldiers received medals for their heroic actions.
Despite heroic efforts to save the business, it ultimately went bankrupt.
a political battle of heroic proportions
Recent Examples on the Web
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Nov. 2023
No story of a heroic local archer; no part of the mountain shaped like a bow.
—Jessica Francis Kane, Harper's Magazine, 20 Nov. 2023
Her great notion in reviving Hite is treating her less like a subject getting scrutinized all over again, and instead as the mesmerizing star of a heroic rise-and-fall narrative.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 18 Nov. 2023
Sullenberger and passengers reflected on the heroic decision when speaking with PEOPLE this past January.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 18 Nov. 2023
The iconic director first noted DiCaprio was originally going to play the heroic FBI agent Tom White, who ended up being played by Plemons.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Nov. 2023
Montessori demonstrated that the standard educational environment of her time (and, sadly, of ours as well) can be improved simultaneously across every important dimension, and that doing so doesn’t require heroic teachers or massive additional spending.
—Andrew McAfee, Fortune, 14 Nov. 2023
However, crypto has a risk surface so complex that dollar cost averaging remains a solid way to go unless you are confirmed in the heroic but precarious style of the bold pilot who wants to go full bore.
—Clem Chambers, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
But what started as a story about a heroic employee and a grateful employer has devolved into an epic battle between the carmaker and Mr. Krupski, a service technician.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2023
Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2023
America obsesses over the heroics of special operators, specifically those who have developed a brand–the ones represented over and over again in countless movies and books.
—Bypat Gault, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2023
By this point, news of Adkins’ heroics in Undisputed II had also traveled around the world, striking a particular chord outside of the main markets in regions such as the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America.
—Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2023
Late innings heroics turned Game 1 of the series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers into an instant classic.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 28 Oct. 2023
Patrick Mahomes Eats Doritos ‘Every Night in Bed’ Reveals Wife Brittany
As far as this week’s game goes, Mahomes’ feet-first heroics will likely continue to live in the shadows of Arrowhead Stadium.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 20 Oct. 2023
The game matches the champions of the two countries soccer leagues in a winner-take-all final, one LAFC qualified for by winning last November’s MLS Cup behind McCarthy’s heroics.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023
Roy’s early heroics in net for the Canadiens proved to be the bridge from the old method of netminding to today’s even more technical and athletic style.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Sep. 2023
No late-game heroics from the kickers were needed in this year’s Texas-Alabama matchup in Tuscaloosa, with the Longhorns securing a comfortable 34-24 win.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 10 Sep. 2023
See More
Adjective
In my book, Peter Seidler was a model citizen, a well-nigh heroic one.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Nov. 2023
No story of a heroic local archer; no part of the mountain shaped like a bow.
—Jessica Francis Kane, Harper's Magazine, 20 Nov. 2023
Her great notion in reviving Hite is treating her less like a subject getting scrutinized all over again, and instead as the mesmerizing star of a heroic rise-and-fall narrative.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 18 Nov. 2023
Sullenberger and passengers reflected on the heroic decision when speaking with PEOPLE this past January.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 18 Nov. 2023
The iconic director first noted DiCaprio was originally going to play the heroic FBI agent Tom White, who ended up being played by Plemons.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Nov. 2023
Montessori demonstrated that the standard educational environment of her time (and, sadly, of ours as well) can be improved simultaneously across every important dimension, and that doing so doesn’t require heroic teachers or massive additional spending.
—Andrew McAfee, Fortune, 14 Nov. 2023
However, crypto has a risk surface so complex that dollar cost averaging remains a solid way to go unless you are confirmed in the heroic but precarious style of the bold pilot who wants to go full bore.
—Clem Chambers, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
But what started as a story about a heroic employee and a grateful employer has devolved into an epic battle between the carmaker and Mr. Krupski, a service technician.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2023
Noun
Yet despite the heroics of Williams and Purce, the game lost much of its luster in the third minute when Rapinoe collapsed to the turf with what appeared to be a right Achilles injury and had to be helped off by two trainers.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2023
America obsesses over the heroics of special operators, specifically those who have developed a brand–the ones represented over and over again in countless movies and books.
—Bypat Gault, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2023
By this point, news of Adkins’ heroics in Undisputed II had also traveled around the world, striking a particular chord outside of the main markets in regions such as the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America.
—Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2023
Late innings heroics turned Game 1 of the series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers into an instant classic.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 28 Oct. 2023
Patrick Mahomes Eats Doritos ‘Every Night in Bed’ Reveals Wife Brittany
As far as this week’s game goes, Mahomes’ feet-first heroics will likely continue to live in the shadows of Arrowhead Stadium.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 20 Oct. 2023
The game matches the champions of the two countries soccer leagues in a winner-take-all final, one LAFC qualified for by winning last November’s MLS Cup behind McCarthy’s heroics.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023
Roy’s early heroics in net for the Canadiens proved to be the bridge from the old method of netminding to today’s even more technical and athletic style.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Sep. 2023
No late-game heroics from the kickers were needed in this year’s Texas-Alabama matchup in Tuscaloosa, with the Longhorns securing a comfortable 34-24 win.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 10 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heroic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing heroic
Dictionary Entries Near heroic
Cite this Entry
“Heroic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heroic. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
heroic
adjective
he·ro·ic
hi-ˈrō-ik,
also her-ˈō-,
or hē-ˈrō-
1
: of or relating to heroes especially of ancient times
the heroic age
heroic legends
2
: courageous, daring
a heroic rescue
3
: large or impressive in size or range : grand
heroically
adverb
-i-k(ə-)lē
Medical Definition
heroic
adjective
he·ro·ic
hi-ˈrō-ik also her-ˈō- or hē-ˈrō-
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
More from Merriam-Webster on heroic
Nglish: Translation of heroic for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of heroic for Arabic Speakers
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