If you describe a person or their actions as heroic, you admire them because they show extreme bravery.
His heroic deeds were celebrated in every corner of India.
Synonyms: courageous, brave, daring, bold More Synonyms of heroic
heroically (hɪroʊɪkli)adverb [ADVERB with verb]
He had acted heroically during the liner's evacuation.
2. adjective
If you describe an action or event as heroic, you admire it because it involves great effort or determination to succeed.
[approval]
The company has made heroic efforts at cost reduction.
He finally faltered in the last game of a heroic match.
Their dogged single-mindedness is almost heroic.
heroicallyadverb [usually ADVERB with verb, oft ADVERB adjective]
Single parents cope heroically in doing the job of two people.
3. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Heroic means being or relating to the hero of a story.
...the book's central, heroic figure.
4. plural noun
Heroics are actions involving bravery, courage, or determination.
...the man whose aerial heroics helped save the helicopter pilot.
England need heroics from the captain now.
5. plural noun
If you describe someone's actions or plans as heroics, you think that they are foolish or dangerous because they are too difficult or brave for the situation in which they occur.
[spoken, disapproval]
He said his advice was: 'No heroics, stay within the law'.
Cut it out, Perry. You've performed your heroics. It's all over now.
More Synonyms of heroic
heroic in British English
(hɪˈrəʊɪk) or heroical
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. Roman Catholic Church
a.
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
b.
performed or undergone by such a person
the heroic witness of martyrdom
Derived forms
heroically (heˈroically)
adverb
heroicalness (heˈroicalness) or heroicness (heˈroicness)
noun
heroic in American English
(hɪˈrouɪk)
adjective
1. Also: heroical
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a hero or heroine
2.
suitable to the character of a hero in size or concept; daring; noble
a heroic ambition
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, pertaining to, or characteristic of the heroes of antiquity
heroic mythology
7.
used in heroic poetry
Compare heroic verse
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
11. (usually heroics) See heroic verse
12. See heroics
Derived forms
heroically
adverb
heroicalnessheroicness or heroicity (ˌhɪərouˈɪsɪti)
noun
Word origin
[1540–50; ‹ L hērōicus ‹ Gk hērōïkós of, pertaining to a hero; cf. late ME heroical, heroicus; see hero, -ic]
Examples of 'heroic' in a sentence
heroic
Long into the night he sat at the flap of his tent, thinking heroic thoughts.
Tepper, Sheri S. A PLAGUE OF ANGELS (2001)
Another in an endless series of man's heroic myths of his own past.
Tepper, Sheri S. A PLAGUE OF ANGELS (2001)
Our father had been a sensualist of heroic proportions from his earliest childhood.
Clive Barker GALILEE (2001)
Quotations
The high sentiments always win in the end, the leaders who offer blood, toil, tears and sweat always get more out of their followers than those who offer safety and a good time. When it comes to the pinch, human beings are heroicGeorge OrwellThe Art of Donald McGill
In other languages
heroic
British English: heroic ADJECTIVE
If you describe a person or their actions as heroic, you admire them because they show extreme bravery.
The heroic sergeant risked his life to rescue 29 fishermen from their blazing trawler.
American English: heroic
Brazilian Portuguese: heroico
Chinese: 英勇的
European Spanish: heroico
French: héroïque
German: heroisch
Italian: eroico
Japanese: 勇敢な
Korean: 영웅적인
European Portuguese: heroico
Latin American Spanish: heroico
British English: heroic NOUN
Heroics are actions involving bravery, courage, or determination.
...the man whose aerial heroics helped save the helicopter pilot.
American English: heroic
Brazilian Portuguese: ato heroico
Chinese: 英勇的
European Spanish: heroicidad
French: acte de bravoure
German: Heldentat
Italian: azione eroica
Japanese: 英雄的な言動
Korean: 용기있는 행동
European Portuguese: ato heroico
Latin American Spanish: heroicidad
All related terms of 'heroic'
heroic age
the period in an ancient culture , when legendary heroes are said to have lived
mock-heroic
(of a literary work, esp a poem ) imitating the style of heroic poetry in order to satirize an unheroic subject, as in Pope's The Rape of the Lock
heroic stanza
a quatrain having the rhyme scheme a b a b
heroic tenor
a tenor with a dramatic voice
heroic verse
a type of verse suitable for epic or heroic subjects, such as the classical hexameter , the French Alexandrine , or the English iambic pentameter
heroic couplet
a verse form consisting of two rhyming lines in iambic pentameter
Chinese translation of 'heroic'
heroic
(hɪˈrəuɪk)
adj
英勇的 (yīngyǒng de)
1 (adjective)
Definition
brave and courageous
The heroic sergeant risked his life to rescue 29 fishermen.
Synonyms
courageous
She is clearly a very tough and courageous woman.
brave
brave people who dare to challenge the tyrannical regimes
daring
a daring rescue attempt
bold
She becomes a bold, daring rebel.
fearless
brave and fearless soldiers
gallant
gallant soldiers who gave their lives
intrepid
an intrepid space traveller
valiant
valiant attempts by neighbours and firefighters to rescue them
doughty (old-fashioned)
doughty campaigns for the underprivileged
undaunted
Although the forecast was for rain, the crowd were undaunted.
dauntless
Perseverance and dauntless courage brought them to their goal.
lion-hearted
He came back to produce a lion-hearted performance in the 200 metres.
valorous
stouthearted (old-fashioned)
Opposites
cowardly
,
craven
,
timid
,
mean
,
base
,
chicken (slang)
,
ignoble
,
faint-hearted
,
irresolute
2 (adjective)
Definition
of, like, or befitting a hero
another in an endless series of man's heroic myths of his own past
Synonyms
legendary
classical
mythological
the mythological beast that was part lion, part goat
Homeric
a Homeric epic of movie-making
3 (adjective)
Definition
of, like, or befitting a hero
a heroic style, with a touch of antiquarian realism
Synonyms
epic
an epic romance
grand
classic
extravagant
exaggerated
Be sceptical of exaggerated claims for what these products can do.
elevated
the magazine's elevated tone
inflated
They had to buy everything at inflated prices at the ranch store.
high-flown
Many personnel were put off by such high-flown rhetoric.
grandiose
Not one of his grandiose plans has ever come to anything.
Opposites
simple
,
unadorned
,
lowbrow
Quotation
The high sentiments always win in the end, the leaders who offer blood, toil, tears and sweat always get more out of their followers than those who offer safety and a good time. When it comes to the pinch, human beings are heroic [George Orwell – The Art of Donald McGill]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bold
Definition
courageous, confident, and fearless
She becomes a bold, daring rebel.
Synonyms
fearless,
enterprising,
brave,
daring,
heroic,
adventurous,
courageous,
gritty,
gallant,
gutsy (slang),
audacious,
intrepid,
valiant,
plucky,
undaunted,
unafraid,
unflinching,
dauntless,
ballsy (taboo, slang),
lion-hearted,
valorous
in the sense of brave
Definition
having or displaying courage, resolution, or daring
brave people who dare to challenge the tyrannical regimes