Heroic
What it means
Showing exceptional courage or selflessness under serious pressure.
Reach for it when praising conduct that accepts real risk or sacrifice for others
The crew's heroic rescue brought all six passengers safely ashore.
Words to choose between 8
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm |
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| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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everyday
Fits when someone faces fear or danger with courage
Careful Brave suits ordinary courage; heroic signals exceptional stakes or sacrifice.
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warm
Fits when putting others first is more important than fearlessness
Careful A selfless act may be gentle and safe rather than heroic.
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professional
Fits when decisive risk-taking is praiseworthy
Careful Bold action can serve ambition and does not by itself show moral courage.
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formal
Fits when moral or physical courage deserves measured praise
Careful It does not necessarily imply service to others or a remarkable outcome.
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formal
Fits when you want to praise the exceptional scale without specifying courage
Careful Extraordinary is too broad when sacrifice is the fact that matters.
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literary
Fits when the person appears undeterred by formidable danger
Careful It can exaggerate someone who acted despite visible and reasonable fear.
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literary
Fits when courage is noble, spirited, or chivalrous
Careful Its old-fashioned overtones can distract from contemporary service.
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literary
Fits when determined courage in a struggle is the central image
Careful Valiant can sound theatrical in a modern resume or plain thank-you.
Opposites 3
- cowardly
- self-serving
- timid
Common phrases 3
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heroic effort
The nurses made a heroic effort to keep the rural clinic open through the storm.
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heroic act
His heroic act gave the children time to leave the burning bus.
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heroic courage
The witness showed heroic courage by returning to guide rescuers through the smoke.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated