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DictionaryintenseGreat strength
adjective

intense

in-TENS/ɪnˈtens/

Very strong or deeply felt.

The athlete's intense effort shows in the firm grip on the climbing hold.

A South Asian athlete grips a climbing hold with deeply focused effort.
Etymology
inLatintoward
+tenseLatinto stretch

Here the stretching image survives as something strained or tight. That physical state became a description of qualities and feelings at a great or extreme degree.

In context

TED-Ed3:35
to relieve periods of intense pressure with periods of no pressure at all.
How rollercoasters affect your body - Brian D. Avery

More examples

  • She feels intense relief when her missing dog comes home.
  • Competition for the scholarship is intense.
  • The pain becomes more intense whenever I move my shoulder.

Forms

intense · more intense · most intense

intensity noun — The degree of strength or force.

intensely adverb — With great strength or deep feeling.

Similar words

strong
Broader in use; need not suggest an unusually high degree.
extreme
Emphasizes reaching the furthest limit rather than depth of feeling.
powerful
Emphasizes the ability to produce a strong effect.