intense

Intense is an adjective used to describe a high degree, strength, or extremity of a quality or sensation. It commonly applies to sensory experiences such as intense light, intense heat, or intense pain; to emotional states like intense love or intense anger; and to mental or physical exertion, as in intense focus or intense exercise. The adverb form is intensely, and the related noun is intensity.

Etymology: the word derives from Latin intensus, the past participle of intendo "to stretch toward" or "to strain." In English it entered usage in the early modern period with a figurative sense of magnified degree, which has persisted in modern usage.

In science and everyday speech, intensity is a technical term and a separate noun. In physics, intensity describes energy flow per unit area, such as light or sound intensity; an intense source or beam is one with high energy flux. In common language, intense as an adjective conveys subjective severity or impact and is not a precise measure. Its connotations can be positive, as in a powerful performance, or negative, as in overwhelming stress.

Related forms include intensify (to increase intensity) and intensity synonyms such as strong, severe, extreme, and acute. Antonyms include mild or dull. The nuance of intense often hinges on context, with implications of focus, urgency, or force that surpass ordinary levels.