Word
intense
Phoneticsin·tense, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈtɛns/
UK/ɪntˈɛns/
Definitions
01strong or extreme
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. very strong or extreme in degree, like heat, pain, or light.
adj. existing in an extreme degree; characterized by high force, power, or intensity of a physical or abstract quality.
Español:intenso
“The heat from the desert sun was so intense that we had to stay indoors.”
“The rescue team worked under intense pressure to reach the trapped miners before the oxygen supply became critically low.”
02deep feelings
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. showing very strong feelings, focus, or serious thought.
adj. characterized by strong emotional involvement, deep earnestness, or concentrated mental effort.
“They shared an intense love for classical music and spent every weekend at the opera.”
“After months of intense study, the researchers finally identified the specific gene responsible for the mutation.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03serious personality
C1 · Advanced Informal
adj. describing a person who has very strong opinions or emotions and takes things very seriously.
adj. describing an individual whose personality is marked by extreme earnestness, emotional depth, or a demanding nature.
“My new boss is very intense and expects everyone to work as hard as she does.”
“He has an intense personality that some colleagues find intimidating, though no one questions his dedication to the project.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “intense” in context.
Verb
01. become intense
“The debate became intense as both sides refused to compromise on their positions.”
verb + adj
02. experience intense pain
“Patients may experience intense pain for several days following the surgery.”
verb + adj + noun
Adjective
03. intense heat
“The intense heat of the desert made it impossible to travel during the day.”
adj + noun
04. intense pressure
“The team is under intense pressure to win the championship this year.”
adj + noun
05. incredibly intense
“The final scene of the movie was incredibly intense and left the audience silent.”
adv + adj
06. intense competition
“There is intense competition between the two companies for market share.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. period of intense activity
“After a period of intense activity, the workers were finally allowed to take a break.”
noun + of + noun
08. intense enough
09. intense criticism
10. intense heatwaves
11. intense media
12. intense public
Real-World Examples
“Competition is intense for civil service and other public sector posts, which offer job security, health and pension benefits.” “It follows intense pressure on the new government over how to block the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers.” Etymology
From Late Middle English intens, intense (“ardent, fervent; extreme, great, intense”), borrowed from Old French intense (modern French intense), or directly from its etymon Latin intēnsus (“strained, stretched tight; intense; attentive; violent; (rare) eager, intent”), the perfect passive participle of intendō (“to stretch out, strain”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + tendō (“to extend, stretch”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tend- (“to extend, stretch”)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/intense
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0