How to pronounce intense
Say it like in-TENS. Intense has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TENS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce intense. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- TENS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Intense pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- TENSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of intense
American and British speakers say intense in essentially the same way: /ˌɪnˈtɛns/ in the US and /ɪnˈtɛns/ in the UK.
British respelling: in-TENS.
What does intense mean?
- possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree“intense heat”“intense anxiety”
- extremely sharp or severe“acute pain”“felt acute annoyance”
- (of color) having the highest saturation“vivid green”“intense blue”
Where does intense come from?
From Late Middle English intens, intense (“ardent, fervent; extreme, great, intense”), borrowed from Old French intense (modern French intense), or directly from its etymon Latin intēnsus (“strained, stretched tight; intense; attentive; vio
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with intense
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of intense.
Questions about saying intense
How do you pronounce intense?
Say in-TENS. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪnˈtɛns/. In British English it is /ɪnˈtɛns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in intense?
Intense has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TENS). Broken into parts: in · TENS.
Do Americans and Brits say intense the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪnˈtɛns/ and the British form is /ɪnˈtɛns/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.