heroic
gb/hɪɹˈoʊɪk/ us/hɪɹˈoʊɪk/
B1
English
~ 3900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
Showing great courage
Being very brave when facing danger or problems.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is heroic
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'heroic' with 'hero', using 'He is a heroic' instead of 'He is heroic' or 'He is a hero'.
Synonyms
brave (More general; does not always imply extraordinary or noble action.)
|
valiant (Slightly more formal or literary than 'heroic'.)
Antonyms
cowardly (Lacking courage; opposite in terms of bravery.)
Collocations
heroic act
|heroic effort
|heroic rescue
|heroic deed
Themes
emotions
|character
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The firefighter's heroic actions saved three children from the burning building.
- She made a heroic attempt to finish the marathon despite her injury.
- His heroic stand against injustice inspired many people.
- The rescue team carried out a heroic mission in the mountains.
Learner examples
- The man was heroic when he saved the dog.
- She was heroic during the storm.
- He did a heroic thing by helping the old woman.
- The team was heroic in the game.
adjective
B2
property
2
Extremely large or impressive
Very big or impressive; needing a lot of work or strength.
Usage pattern:
[someone] makes a heroic [effort/attempt]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with bravery, but here it can mean simply 'very big or challenging'.
Synonyms
monumental (Focuses more on size or significance; less about bravery.)
|
tremendous (Emphasizes intensity or size rather than courage.)
Antonyms
minor (Small in scale or importance; opposite in magnitude.)
Collocations
heroic effort
|heroic attempt
|heroic struggle
Themes
effort
|achievement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It took a heroic effort to lift the fallen tree.
- Completing the project on time was a heroic achievement for the small team.
- The climbers made a heroic attempt to reach the summit despite the weather.
Learner examples
- It was a heroic job to clean the beach.
- She made a heroic effort to pass the test.
- They took a heroic trip across the desert.
adjective
literary
C1
property
3
Relating to a hero in literature or myth
About a hero in stories or poems from long ago.
Synonyms
epic (Often used for grand, long narratives about heroes.)
Collocations
heroic epic
|heroic poem
|heroic figure
Themes
literature
|mythology
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- The novel adopts a heroic style reminiscent of ancient epics.
- Her character embodies the heroic ideals of loyalty and honor.
- The painting depicts a heroic figure standing against the storm.
Learner examples
- The movie tells a heroic story from the past.
- We read a heroic poem in class.
- He plays a heroic man in the play.
Noun
C1
entity
4
Literary work about a hero's deeds
A story or poem about what a hero does.
Synonyms
epic (A long narrative poem about heroic deeds; overlaps in meaning.)
Collocations
ancient heroics
|medieval heroics
Themes
literature
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- The Iliad is one of the greatest heroics of ancient Greece.
- Medieval heroics often focus on knights and chivalry.
- He devoted his career to studying Norse heroics.
Learner examples
- We learned about old heroics in history class.
- Heroics are common in old poems.
- I like reading heroics about brave people.
Noun
B2
entity
5
Brave actions, often dramatic
Brave things someone does, often in danger.
Synonyms
bravery (General term for courageous behavior; lacks dramatic connotation.)
Antonyms
cowardice (Lack of bravery; opposite behavior.)
Collocations
display of heroics
|military heroics
Themes
emotions
|character
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The soldier's heroics were celebrated by his comrades.
- She dismissed his late-night rescue as unnecessary heroics.
- Fans cheered at the striker's last-minute heroics.
Learner examples
- We saw his heroics during the fire.
- Her heroics saved many people.
- The heroics of the team won the game.
Grammar
Dictionary form
heroic
IPA
GB/hɪɹˈoʊɪk/
US/hɪɹˈoʊɪk/
Syllables & stress
hero - ic (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ic)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: heroic
Word family
Expressions
heroic deed
1/hɪɹˈoʊɪk dˈid/
fixed phrase
A brave and selfless action in danger
Something brave that someone does to help others in danger.
Examples
- Saving the child from the river was truly a heroic deed.
- He was honored for his heroic deeds during the war.
heroic effort
1/hɪɹˈoʊɪk ˈɛfɚt/
fixed phrase
An extremely determined attempt
Very hard work to do something difficult, showing courage and strength.
Examples
- It took a heroic effort to finish the race after spraining her ankle.
- The team made a heroic effort to meet the deadline despite setbacks.
unsung heroics
1/ʌnsˈʌŋ hɪɹˈoʊɪks/
fixed phrase
Courageous acts not recognized publicly
Brave things that people do but no one talks about much.
Examples
- Her unsung heroics kept the company running smoothly behind the scenes.
- Many unsung heroics happen in hospitals every day.