intense

adjective

in-ˈten(t)s How to pronounce intense (audio)
Definition of intensenext
1
as in intensive
extreme in degree, power, or effect the intense cold of the polar regions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in passionate
having or expressing great depth of feeling an intense actor who favors edgy film roles

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 intense Higher-fat products tend to have a richer texture, creamier mouthfeel, and more intense flavor compared to lower-fat alternatives like frozen yogurt. — Jillian Kubala, Health, 7 July 2026 Scientists say such heat waves are becoming more common and more intense. — Scott Neuman, NPR, 7 July 2026 The spotlight is even more intense for America’s first ladies. — Jenny Jarvie follow, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 This merger provided the galaxy with an abundance of gas and dust, the raw material for intense star formation. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for intense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intense
  1. intensive
  2. passionate
  3. fierce
  4. warm
  5. ferocious
  6. passional
  7. deep
  8. fervent
Adjective
  • But that is labor intensive, and when a fire burns thousands of acres, the time and cost involved can be too high.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Built for expansion Aurora was used to perform the computationally intensive quantum chemistry simulations integrated into ChemGraph, while the ALCF Inference Service provided access to open-weight language models hosted on Argonne systems.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Definition of intensive
Adjective
  • Despite the full lineup and passionate patriotic crowd in Seattle, Team USA looked uncomfortable from the start, fell behind early, made sloppy mistakes and could not keep up with the Belgians, who move on to face Spain in the quarterfinals.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
  • Mexico’s passionate fans blasted horns outside the England hotel to disrupt players’ sleep, and the start of the match was delayed an hour because of a thunderstorm.
    — Carlos Rodriguez, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2026
Definition of passionate
Adjective
  • Its young people are increasingly educated and ambitious but many are frustrated over fierce competition for limited jobs.
    — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • The Pride and Angel City have established a fierce rivalry in their short history.
    — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2026
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • More than 1,300 heat records were matched or broken for maximum high temperatures and warm overnight lows across 40 states and territories over the four days.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 8 July 2026
  • Previous studies have shown that young white sharks prefer warmer waters and often leave nursery habitats when temperatures fall below certain thresholds.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of warm
Adjective
  • Known for his command of ferocious demon-quelling deities, Zhenwu remains a popular deity in Daoist exorcist rituals in places such as Taiwan.
    — Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
  • That’s because a parasite called Cyclospora, which can contaminate raw produce and causes ferocious and long-lasting bouts of diarrheal illness, is making people sick across several states.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Definition of ferocious
Adjective
  • At Fox, Collier became known for his passional embrace of blockchain, NFTs and the whole Web3 space.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 Nov. 2022
Definition of passional
Adjective
  • Schmitt brought in an insurance run in the eighth, batting in Arraez with a sharp double to deep left-center.
    — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 10 July 2026
  • Fans of Brazil, Colombia and Portugal also were crushed that their teams, expected to make deep runs, crashed out so early.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
Definition of deep
Adjective
  • England versus Mexico was an all-time epic played in one of sports’ most fervent atmospheres at the iconic Estadio Azteca.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • These 15 mountain towns in California offer contemporary amenities amid the beautiful landscapes that inspired one of nature’s most fervent champions.
    — Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026
Definition of fervent

Browse Nearby Words

intends
intense
intensely
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Cite this Entry

“Intense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intense. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on intense

Nglish: Translation of intense for Spanish Speakers

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