dense
DEHNS
Dense (adjective) means having parts packed closely together; thick or crowded. Example: “A dense fog covered the valley and we could barely see the road.”
adjective
1
Having parts packed closely together; thick or crowded.
"A dense fog covered the valley and we could barely see the road."
"They hiked through dense forest for hours."
"Dense traffic made the commute twice as long."
2
Difficult to understand because of complexity or heavy detail.
"The legal contract was so dense that I needed a lawyer to explain it."
"Her dense writing is full of long sentences and technical terms."
"The textbook chapter was so dense that students had to reread it twice."
3
Slow to understand things; not very sharp mentally.
"Don't be so dense, it was obvious she wanted you to leave!"
"I felt dense when everyone else understood the joke before I did."
"He can be a bit dense when it comes to picking up on hints."
How to use dense
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPacked tightly together — or, for text and people, hard to get through or slow to understand.
Common pairings
dense forest
dense population
dense fog
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Word forms
- Plural
- denses
- Comparative
- denser
- Superlative
- densest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A _____ fog covered the valley and we could barely see the road.
Etymology
From Latin dēnsus, "thick, dense," from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "thick."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for dense
See all rhymes for dense →Frequently asked questions
What does “dense” mean?
The word “dense” means having parts packed closely together; thick or crowded. In plain terms, packed tightly together — or, for text and people, hard to get through or slow to understand.
How do you pronounce “dense”?
“Dense” is pronounced DEHNS (/ˈdɛns/ in IPA).
How do you use “dense” in a sentence?
Here is “dense” used in a sentence: “They hiked through dense forest for hours.”
What is the opposite of “dense”?
The opposite of “dense” — its antonyms — are diffuse, few and far between, scattered, sparse and rarefied.
What part of speech is “dense”?
“Dense” is an adjective.
Where does the word “dense” come from?
The word “dense” comes from Latin. From Latin dēnsus, "thick, dense," from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "thick.".
Is “dense” a common word?
“Dense” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “dense” have?
“Dense” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having parts packed closely together; thick or crowded.
Is it rude to call a person dense?
Yes. Applied to a person, dense is an informal insult meaning slow to understand things. It is milder than harsher words but still belittling, so it is best avoided in polite or professional settings.
What is the difference between dense and thick?
Physically, dense means the parts are packed closely together, as in dense fog or a dense forest, while thick refers to depth or consistency, as in a thick slice or thick paint. Both can informally mean unintelligent, though thick in that sense is chiefly British.
What is the difference between dense and compact?
Both describe things packed closely together, but compact suggests neat, efficient use of space and is usually positive, as in a compact car. Dense is neutral to negative, emphasizing sheer tightness or heaviness, as in dense undergrowth or a dense crowd.
