Heroic Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms heroic American [hi-roh-ik] / hɪˈroʊ ɪk /

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 British / 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• heroically adverb
• heroicalness noun
• heroicity noun
• heroicness 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
• unheroical adjective
• unheroically adverb
• unheroicalness noun
• unheroicness noun

Etymology

Origin of heroic

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Even less heroic — or catastrophic — assumptions lead to alarmingly high numbers.

From MarketWatch

Mbappe is second and, at only 27, will no doubt surpass his compatriot while also earning legendary centre-forward status in Madrid - though on the grandest stage, his World Cup heroics came largely off the left.

From BBC

“I call upon all Iranian patriots who yearn for freedom to seize this moment, to be brave, be bold, be heroic, and take back your country,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Be brave, be bold, be heroic and take back your country,” he said in a video message on Sunday.

From Los Angeles Times

Ibrox contorted itself as the goalkeeper performed heroics and then the place let out a guttural groan as Hatate made it third time lucky.

From BBC

Related Words

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

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.