intensely
Americanadverb
-
to a high or extreme degree.
Many ingredients are rolled into this intensely flavorful and very versatile curry paste.
-
(said in reference to emotions or feelings) acutely, strongly, or vehemently.
We should all be intensely angry about what is happening, and should do something besides just sitting at our computers absorbing information.
I disliked the book intensely.
-
earnestly or strenuously; in a highly engaged or involved way.
The first time I watched the documentary, all I saw was these four people talking intensely about their music.
Other Word Forms
- hyperintensely adverb
- overintensely adverb
- superintensely adverb
Etymology
Origin of intensely
Explanation
Anything that happens in an extreme or profound way is done intensely, like your practice of staring intensely at your cat in an attempt to read his mind. A roaring fire burns intensely, and you'd be the first to admit that you love your dog intensely. This fierce and strong adverb works well for things that are literally or figuratively powerful, so you can study intensely for your geometry quiz or witness an intensely destructive earthquake. The Latin root, intensus, means "stretched, strained, or tight."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"As soon as I arrived in Port Sudan, I prostrated in the airport and cried intensely because I never imagined I would reach a safe haven," he said.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
The treatment she developed involved gradually exposing patients to the things that, while harmless, they feared intensely.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
Although it was a state trial court decision, Brown’s case had been intensely covered by the national press, and it was no doubt the most consequential trial in U.S. history until that time.
From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026
"I think the main reason is to make money, which is so intensely wrong."
From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026
He looked at me intensely throughout my presentation but showed no emotion or reaction during most of the talk.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
