heroine

noun

Save Word

her·o·ine | \ ˈher-ə-wən

, ˈhir-, ˈhe-rə-

Definition of heroine

1a : a mythological or legendary woman often of divine descent having great strength or ability

b : a woman admired and emulated for her achievements and qualities American heroines such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Rosa Parks remembered as the heroine of the flood

2a : the principal female character in a literary or dramatic work the heroine of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

b : the central female figure in an event or period

Examples of heroine in a Sentence

The town remembered her as the heroine of the flood and erected a statue in her honor.

Recent Examples on the Web Working with her regular librettist, Royce Vavrek, Missy Mazzoli (pictured) chose to adapt a bleakly shocking plot about a married heroine who takes other lovers. — The Economist, "Missy Mazzoli’s operas defy pigeonholing," 16 Mar. 2021 To paraphrase a famous movie heroine, that's a problem for another day. — Brian Lowry, CNN, "Oscar nominations: Once an outsider, Netflix might be the star in a year of streaming," 12 Mar. 2021 There is a main heroine, a girl named Thula, but this story belongs to Kosawa and all its people. — Alicia Lutes, USA TODAY, "Imbolo Mbue's passionate new novel 'How Beautiful We Were' is going to grab you," 8 Mar. 2021 Raya and the Last Dragon, Disney’s first animated film to star a Southeast Asian heroine, attempts to be more culturally accurate than any Disney project before it. — Shirley Li, The Atlantic, "Raya and the Last Dragon and the Limits of an Authentic Fantasy World," 6 Mar. 2021 Correspondent Holly Williams talks with Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan about the film's message and its fearless, complicated heroine. — CBS News, "This week on "Sunday Morning" (April 18)," 15 Apr. 2021 Delightfully interesting minor players like Tuk Tuk (a cross between a giant insect and an armadillo, played by Alan Tudyk) and Sisu (Awkwafina, playing the title’s dragon) support the young heroine, Raya (Kelly Marie Tran). — Eric Vilas-boas And John Maher, Vulture, "The Best Animation of 2021 (So Far)," 9 Apr. 2021 Yes, its titular heroine (a remarkable Wu Ke-Xi, also a co-writer) is an actress brutalized and exploited by a misogynist film industry, and the Taiwanese director, Midi Z, never pulls his punches. — Mark Olsen Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, "Indie Focus: Sitting with the anxious comedy of ‘Shiva Baby’," 2 Apr. 2021 Between classic Disney princess movies and the Marvel and Star Wars franchises, there seems to be a Disney heroine (princess or not) for everyone. — Courtney Campbell, USA TODAY, "20 things to wear to support your favorite Disney heroines," 23 Mar. 2021

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