intense

intense — adjective

1. having a very high degree of a physical or emotional quality — such as heat, pai

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

having a very high degree of a physical or emotional quality — such as heat, pain, anger, or effort — that is much greater or stronger than what is normal or usual

Example

The desert heat was so intense that Nala could not walk without shoes.

collocation: intense heat

Andrei felt an intense desire to win the race after months of training.

collocation: intense desire

Common collocations
  • intense heat
  • intense pain
  • intense cold
  • intense desire
  • intense anger
  • intense hatred
  • intense competition
  • intense concentration
  • intense focus
  • intense pressure
  • intense emotion
  • intense joy
Synonyms
  • extreme

    suggests a degree beyond what is normal, often at the very upper limit

  • fierce

    adds a sense of aggressive or uncontrolled force, common for competition or emotion

  • powerful

    broader term for great force or effect, not limited to concentrated intensity

  • strong

    most general; describes great power or effect without the 'concentrated peak' nuance of intense

Antonyms
  • mild

    much lower in degree; the opposite of intense for weather, flavour, or emotion

  • gentle

    soft and not forceful; opposite of intense in effect or feeling

  • weak

    lacking strength or force; opposite of intense in degree or power

Grammar Patterns

intense + noun

linking verb + intense

Usage Note

Commonly modifies concrete nouns for physical experiences (heat, cold, pain, pressure) and abstract nouns for emotions or mental states (anger, desire, joy, focus). Unlike 'strong' or 'powerful', this sense does not describe innate physical strength — an 'intense man' belongs to sense 2 and refers to personality, not muscle power.

Common Mistakes

The intense man lifted the heavy box easily.
The strong man lifted the heavy box easily.
'intense' is not used for physical strength of people; use 'strong' instead.

2. showing or expressing very strong feelings, serious attitudes, or firm opinions

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

showing or expressing very strong feelings, serious attitudes, or firm opinions in a way that other people can clearly notice — describing a person's character or behaviour

Example

Liang can sometimes seem too intense when he gets into political arguments at dinner.

pattern: linking verb + intense (seem intense)

Mateo's intense personality made him a great leader but an exhausting friend.

Common collocations
  • intense person
  • intense personality
  • intense student
  • intense gaze
  • intense stare
  • intense expression
  • intense conversation
  • too intense
  • so intense
  • come across as intense
Synonyms
  • serious

    less emotional; focuses on lack of humour rather than strong feelings

  • passionate

    positive connotation; emphasises strong enthusiasm and love for something

  • earnest

    formal; suggests sincere and honest seriousness without negative overtones

Antonyms
  • easy-going

    relaxed and not easily upset; the opposite of an intense personality

  • laid-back

    informal; calm and untroubled, contrasting with intense seriousness

Grammar Patterns

intense + noun (person, student, gaze, personality)

be / seem / appear / become + intense

Usage Note

Can carry a mildly critical tone (suggesting someone is too serious or hard to relax around) or an admiring tone (suggesting passion and dedication), depending on context. Frequently occurs with verbs of perception: 'seem intense', 'appear intense', 'come across as intense'. Not used for someone's physical strength.

Common Mistakes

She is an intense student who always finishes her homework.
She is a diligent student who always finishes her homework.
'intense' for people implies strong emotions and seriousness, not simply effort or hard work.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Intense, extreme, fierce, powerful, and strong all describe qualities of great force or degree, but each carries a different nuance. Intense emphasizes concentrated force or quality in a specific situation — an intense headache is one you cannot ignore. Extreme goes further, suggesting something is at the very edge of the normal range (extreme weather, extreme poverty). Fierce adds a sense of aggressive or uncontrolled intensity, especially in competition or emotion (fierce loyalty, fierce debate). Powerful is broader, describing great inherent force or influence (a powerful engine, a powerful speech) without the 'concentrated peak' nuance. Strong is the most general and widely used word — it covers physical, emotional, and abstract force equally (strong arms, strong coffee, strong opinion). Use intense when you want to convey a quality felt at its highest point: intense heat is not just warm but painfully hot.

intense ↗extreme ↗fierce ↗powerful ↗strong ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • intensely
  • increasingly intense
  • too intense
  • so intense
  • really intense
  • particularly intense
  • unusually intense

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Intense comes from the Latin word 'intensus', which means 'stretched tight'. The image of something pulled taut evolved to mean something done with great effort or strength, and later to describe anything that is extreme in degree or feeling. It entered English through French in the 1400s.