DENSE
Dictionary entry overview: What does dense mean?
• DENSE (adjective)
The adjective DENSE has 5 senses:
1. permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
2. having component parts closely crowded together
3. hard to pass through because of dense growth
4. having high relative density or specific gravity
5. slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
Familiarity information: DENSE used as an adjective is common.
Dictionary entry details
• DENSE (adjective)
Meaning:
Permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
Synonyms:
dense; impenetrable; heavy
Context examples:
dense smoke / heavy fog / impenetrable gloom
Similar:
thick (relatively dense in consistency)
Meaning:
Having component parts closely crowded together
Synonyms:
thick; dense; compact
Context examples:
a compact shopping center / a dense population / thick crowds / a thick forest / thick hair
Similar:
concentrated (gathered together or made less diffuse)
Meaning:
Hard to pass through because of dense growth
Synonyms:
dense; thick
Context examples:
dense vegetation / thick woods
Similar:
impenetrable (not admitting of penetration or passage into or through)
Meaning:
Having high relative density or specific gravity
Context example:
dense as lead
Similar:
heavy (of comparatively great physical weight or density)
Meaning:
Slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
Synonyms:
dumb; slow; obtuse; dense; dim; dull
Context examples:
so dense he never understands anything I say to him / never met anyone quite so dim / although dull at classical learning, at mathematics he was uncommonly quick / dumb officials make some really dumb decisions / he was either normally stupid or being deliberately obtuse / worked with the slow students
Similar:
stupid (lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity)
