heroic

adjective

hi-ˈrō-ik
variants also heroical
Definition of heroicnext
1
as in courageous
feeling or displaying no fear by temperament a memorial honoring the heroic nurses who served in the war

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in epic
large and impressive in size, grandeur, extent, or conception an opera production of heroic proportions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tremendous
unusually large a heroic statue of Alexander the Great astride his horse

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of heroic Despite heroic efforts to keep crude moving, the Gulf’s reputation as a reliable energy provider has been damaged. — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026 That has not stopped the computer programs from becoming a beloved part of the MCU, though, which is why the writers can get away with presenting JARVIS deleting his code to clear server space as heroic act of self-sacrifice in the second episode. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026 High on mushrooms and his own unmoored ego, Lee’s not-quite-acceptance speech casts our protagonist as far from the heroic spotlight as anyone literally standing in one can get. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026 In the absence of advertising, mosaics communicated and reinforced Soviet values like space exploration and heroic factory work. — Yulia Denisyuk, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heroic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heroic
  1. courageous
  2. epic
  3. tremendous
  4. valiant
  5. glorious
  6. huge
  7. brave
  8. magnificent
Adjective
  • On Thursday, Newsom took what can only be described as a courageous stand, a risky stand — commuting the death sentences of the 548 men and women condemned to die in California, and instead seeking to change their sentences to life without parole.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Research by Harvard Business School Professor Ranjay Gulati found that courageous and effective leaders create positive narratives that guide them through chaos, often recasting their work as a mission.
    — Olivia Ludington, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of courageous
Adjective
  • The feature has also enjoyed success closer to home, where the Scandinavian release is handled by Scanbox, with the epic love story taking the top slot at the box office in Norway in its opening weekend.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The last one was really about being a warrior, revenge and epic scale.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of epic
Adjective
  • Omar Sy has a huge following in France, but his voice also has this tremendous warmth and authority.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is going to start calling plays from the booth instead of the sideline amid his unit’s tremendous struggles.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of tremendous
Adjective
  • The Florida Panthers were able to mount a valiant comeback in San Jose, rallying from three goals down in the second period and scoring two in the third before ultimately falling in overtime.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Despite a valiant effort on the water, that milestone failed to normalize a more ever-present female presence at the Cup for almost three decades.
    — Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of valiant
Adjective
  • All evening, it is excellently placed for telescopic viewing of its glorious ball and rings.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • But her story was neither a glorious adventure nor a laughing matter.
    — Ethan Teekah All, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of glorious
Adjective
  • Perhaps never before in midterm contests has the electorate waved such a huge middle finger at a president and his craven enablers, otherwise known as Republicans.
    — Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Alaska could be transformed into a major data center hub following a new assessment of natural gas resources in the region which appear big enough to power huge advanced computing and AI sites.
    — Oliver Trapnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of huge
Adjective
  • The outlet suggested Lively and Reynolds were putting on a brave face for the cameras but struggling behind-the-scenes.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Nov. 2026
  • In some seaside towns, brave locals take part in a Boxing Day dip—sprinting into the freezing sea to shake off the Christmas excesses, often while raising money for charity.
    — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of brave
Adjective
  • These seven players might not be magnificent, but make the most sense to keep.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026
  • For Trump to accomplish one would be a magnificent achievement.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of magnificent

Browse Nearby Words

heroes
heroic
heroically
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heroic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heroic. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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