heroic

1 of 2

adjective

he·​ro·​ic
hi-ˈrō-ik,
 also  her-ˈō-,
or
hē-ˈrō- How to pronounce heroic (audio)
variants or less commonly heroical
1
: of or relating to courageous people or the mythological or legendary figures of antiquity : of, relating to, resembling, or suggesting heroes especially of antiquity
heroic legends
the heroic age
2
a
: exhibiting or marked by courage and daring
It was a heroic decision.
b
: supremely noble or self-sacrificing
a heroic gesture
received medals for their heroic actions
3
a
: of impressive size, power, extent, or effect
a heroic voice
b(1)
: of great intensity : extreme
heroic effort
(2)
: of a kind that is likely only to be undertaken to save a life
heroic surgery
4
: of, relating to, or constituting drama written during the Restoration in heroic couplets and concerned with a conflict between love and honor
heroically adverb

heroic

2 of 2

noun

1
: a verse or poem written during the Restoration using rhyming couplets in iambic pentameter and concerned with a conflict between love and honor : a heroic verse or poem
2
heroics plural
a
: flamboyantly boastful language or action
avoids heroics in his writing
b
: courageous, noble, or self-sacrificing action or behavior : heroic action or behavior
the heroics of the civil rights movement
c
: determined effort especially in the face of difficulty

Examples of heroic in a Sentence

Adjective It was heroic of those women to fight for the right to vote. The soldiers received medals for their heroic actions. Despite heroic efforts to save the business, it ultimately went bankrupt. a political battle of heroic proportions
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Pictures of a mother clutching her baby, a young family cowering in a bomb shelter, and heroic Russian soldiers recall images of World War II, which Russian propagandists routinely use to legitimize the current conflict. Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 His protagonists are dispassionate observers, not heroic soldiers: a group of war correspondents, reporters, and photographers trying to sneak through military lines to get at the biggest story in the world. David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2024 The heroic, standalone qualities of Ibsen’s protagonist earn our respect but not our reflexive loyalty. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Every smile and gesture has the heroic conviction of a performer who wants his presence to register with seismic force. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 With heroic dedication and resolve, Bob (Kevin Smith) endures Jay's verbal abuse (nicknames like ''fatty,'' ''lunchbox,'' and ''tons of fun'') and selflessly/wordlessly dispenses advice with a meaningful nod. Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 The heroic team journeys and battles through an expansive world filled with lush environments and explorable locales. Diego Ramos Bechara, Variety, 1 Mar. 2024 Below, during the first of a two-part conversation with THR, Mann also discusses his research into the real-life Rosenthal and how a surprise birthday celebration gave him some invaluable insight into his heroic character. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024 To say the AfCFTA is a heroic undertaking would be an understatement. Harry G. Broadman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
Despite Dončić’s stat sheet heroics across the previous three games against the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers, Dallas was on the losing side in each of those matches. Sam Joseph, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 The last time these teams met, Charlotte saw a 17-point lead evaporate in the game’s final minutes, with Selton Miguel’s 22 points and Brandon Stroud’s late-game heroics proving too much for the 49ers. Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 1 Mar. 2024 And Thursday night’s game despite Thompson’s heroics nearly fell into the pit. Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2024 An Arkansas police officer is being praised for his heroics after saving a child who fell through ice after crawling onto a frozen pond. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 24 Jan. 2024 Eubanks turned the game around For all of Durant’s heroics, Eubanks changed the game from an emotional standpoint. The Arizona Republic, 23 Jan. 2024 Anthony Martin made the second of two free-throw tries to cut the deficit to 80-78, setting the stage for Brennan’s heroics. Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 And for a team that toils an hour away from Lamar Jackson’s typical heroics, why wouldn’t you be tempted by 2023 Heisman winner Daniels, who passed for 40 TDs and nearly 4,000 yards last season while rushing for 10 scores and more than 1,100 electric yards. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2024 Stevens’ heroics snapped a two-game CSU losing streak and, more importantly, spared the locals watching a second straight overtime defeat to lowly AFA — NCAA NET ranking as of Tuesday morning: 239th in the country — on Plum Street. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heroic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heroic was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near heroic

Cite this Entry

“Heroic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heroic. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

heroic

adjective
he·​ro·​ic
hi-ˈrō-ik,
 also  her-ˈō-,
 or  hē-ˈrō-
1
: of or relating to heroes especially of ancient times
the heroic age
heroic legends
2
: courageous, daring
a heroic rescue
3
: large or impressive in size or range : grand
heroically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

Medical Definition

heroic

adjective
he·​ro·​ic
hi-ˈrō-ik also her-ˈō- or hē-ˈrō-
1
: of a kind that is likely to be undertaken only to save life
heroic surgery
heroic treatment
2
: having a pronounced effect
used chiefly of medicaments or dosage
heroic doses
a heroic drug

More from Merriam-Webster on heroic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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