heroic

[hi-roh-ik]

adjective

1. Also heroical of, relating to, or characteristic of a hero or heroine.

   Synonyms: courageous, brave, gallant, valorous, valiant, dauntless
   Antonyms: cowardly

2. suitable to the character of a hero in size or concept; daring; noble.

   a heroic ambition.

   Synonyms: courageous, brave, gallant, valorous, valiant, dauntless
   Antonyms: cowardly

3. having or displaying the character or attributes of a hero; extraordinarily bold, altruistic, determined, etc..

   a heroic explorer.

4. having or involving recourse to boldness, daring, or extreme measures.

   Heroic measures were taken to save his life.

5. dealing with or describing the deeds, attributes, etc., of heroes, as in literature.

6. of, relating to, or characteristic of the heroes of antiquity.

   heroic mythology.

7. used in heroic poetry.

   Synonyms: epic

8. resembling heroic poetry in language or style; grandiloquent.

9. (of style or language) lofty; extravagant; grand.

10. larger than life-size.

    a statue of heroic proportions.

noun

1. Usually heroics heroic verse.

2. heroics,

   1. flamboyant or extravagant language, sentiment, or behavior, intended to seem heroic.

   2. heroic action or behavior.

heroic

/ hɪˈrəʊɪk /

adjective

1. of, like, or befitting a hero

2. courageous but desperate

3. relating to or treating of heroes and their deeds

4. of, relating to, or resembling the heroes of classical mythology

5. (of language, manner, etc) extravagant

6. prosody of, relating to, or resembling heroic verse

7. (of the arts, esp sculpture) larger than life-size; smaller than colossal

8. RC Church

   1. held to such a degree as to enable a person to perform virtuous actions with exceptional promptness, ease and pleasure, and with self-abnegation and self-control

      heroic virtue

   2. performed or undergone by such a person

      the heroic witness of martyrdom

Other Word Forms

• heroically adverb
• heroicalness noun
• heroicness noun
• heroicity noun
• nonheroic adjective
• nonheroical adjective
• nonheroically adverb
• nonheroicalness noun
• nonheroicness noun
• pseudoheroic adjective
• pseudoheroical adjective
• pseudoheroically adverb
• quasi-heroic adjective
• quasi-heroically adverb
• superheroic adjective
• superheroically adverb
• unheroic adjective
• unheroicness noun
• unheroical adjective
• unheroically adverb
• unheroicalness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of heroic¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin hērōicus, from Greek hērōïkós “of, pertaining to a hero”; hero + -ic; compare late Middle English heroical, heroicus

Example Sentences

These films have also offered portrayals of the Warrens that skirt any of their personal controversies, presenting them as blissfully married, heroic figures.

From Los Angeles Times

“Despite the heroic and sustained efforts of our wildlife health and care teams, we lost our gentle giant,” zoo officials wrote on the social media post.

From Los Angeles Times

The service's chief executive says the recent gangland feud in central Scotland has raised the temperature behind bars, and that staff are carrying out "a heroic task" in overcrowded jails.

From BBC

In truth, it was a heroic quest — and deserves to be seen that way.

From Los Angeles Times

In addition to Hamby’s last-minute heroics, Kelsey Plum proved vital to helping the Sparks win for the ninth time in 11 games.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bold 
• courageous 
• daring 
• epic 
• fearless 
• gallant 
• grand 
• gutsy 
• noble 
• valiant