heroism

play

noun her·o·ism \ ˈher-ə-ˌwi-zəm , ˈhe-rə- also ˈhir- \

Definition of heroism

1 :heroic conduct especially as exhibited in fulfilling a high purpose or attaining a noble end

2 :the qualities of a hero

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Examples of heroism in a Sentence

women who showed heroism by fighting for their right to vote
the inspiring heroism of the firefighters who risked their lives to save the people trapped in the burning building

Recent Examples of heroism from the Web

That was before the days of anaesthetics, and the poor girl, on her knees, bore the operations with great heroism and bravery.

— deneen l. brown, Washington Post, "A surgeon experimented on slave women without anesthesia. Now his statues are under attack.," 29 Aug. 2017
That was before the days of anaesthetics, and the poor girl, on her knees, bore the operations with great heroism and bravery.

— the washington post, AL.com, "Statue of Alabama surgeon who experimented on slaves vandalized," 29 Aug. 2017
World War II continues to give forth unique tales of resistance under authoritarianism, of heroism, bravery; individuals driven to extremes under oppression.

— katie walsh, charlotteobserver, "‘13 Minutes’ is story of man who tried to kill Hitler," 10 Aug. 2017
Shakespeare’s play is an unwieldy blend of Homer’s Iliad and Chaucer’s Troilus and Cressida, a platform for lampooning the values of love and heroism.

— hugh hunter, Philly.com, "'Troilus and Cressida' at Pennsy Shakespeare: Energetic attempt to breathe life into a flawed play," 31 July 2017
McCain’s heroism in Vietnam exemplifies the maxim that actions speak louder than words.

— frank rich, Daily Intelligencer, "Everything Trump Does Must Be Viewed Through This Single Lens," 27 July 2017
His enemies reserve a special venom for the man whose heroism under torture was beyond imagining.

— elliot kaufman, National Review, "John McCain: A Hero Under Fire," 19 July 2017
One invested superheroes with ordinary human emotions; the other found heroism within ordinary people and emotions.

— peter rowe, sandiegouniontribune.com, "A century of comic book titans: Comic-Con honors Jack Kirby and Will Eisner," 15 July 2017
Ancient Greece’s epic myths of creation and celestial power are R-rated, supernatural tales of heroism, violence, lust, jealousy, monsters, and magic.

— costas kantouris, The Seattle Times, "Meet the Greeks who call Mount Olympus spiritual home," 12 July 2017

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