dense

/dens/ (bre, ipa) · /dens/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈden(t)s/ (ame, mw)

dense — 形容詞

  • densepositive
  • densercomparative
  • densestsuperlative

1. having many parts packed closely together, making it hard to move through, see t

1.形容詞B2
釋義

稠密；濃厚

緊密難通過或看不清的

having many parts packed closely together, making it hard to move through, see through, or breathe in

例句

Aiko could barely see the road ahead through the dense morning fog.

Aiko 幾乎看不到濃霧中前方的道路。

collocation: dense fog / dense smoke

The dense crowd at the station made it impossible for Diego to find his sister.

火車站密集的人群讓 Diego 無法找到他的妹妹。

collocation: dense crowd / dense forest

同義詞
  • thick

    broader; can describe liquids, walls, or layers; 'dense' focuses on compactness of parts

  • compact

    more neutral and technical; often of objects or groups, not fog

反義詞
  • sparse

    opposite of dense crowds, vegetation

  • thin

    opposite of dense fog, smoke, or layers

文法句型

dense + noun

be + dense

用法筆記

Often describes crowds, forests, fog, smoke, or undergrowth. Works both before a noun (dense fog) and after a linking verb (the fog is dense).

常見錯誤

❌The dense sauce was very tasty.
✅The thick sauce was very tasty.
💡'dense' describes close-packed parts, not the thickness of a liquid.

2. having a lot of mass packed into a small volume, making the object weigh much mo

2.形容詞
釋義

密度高

單位體積內質量大的

having a lot of mass packed into a small volume, making the object weigh much more than you would expect from its size

例句

Lead is a very dense metal — a small cube of it feels surprisingly heavy.

鉛是一種密度很高的金屬——小小一塊就重得驚人。

collocation: dense metal / dense material

Mei chose a dense marble rolling pin because its weight helped her flatten dough easily.

Mei 選擇了密度高的大理石桿麵棍，因為它的重量讓她更容易擀平麵團。

collocation: dense marble; practical context showing density benefit

同義詞
  • heavy

    everyday word for high weight; 'dense' is more precise about mass-per-volume

  • compact

    suggests matter squeezed into a small space

反義詞
  • light

    low density; opposite in everyday and technical use

文法句型

dense + noun

be + dense

用法筆記

Common in scientific and technical contexts. A dense substance has high mass per unit volume. The noun form is 'density'.

常見錯誤

❌This cake is very dense — it tastes great.
✅This cake is very rich / heavy
💡it tastes great.' — 'dense' for food texture is informal and less common; use 'heavy' or 'rich' instead.

3. not quick to understand or learn things; slow-thinking

3.形容詞
釋義

愚蠢

頭腦遲鈍的

not quick to understand or learn things; slow-thinking

例句

Tomás called his brother dense for missing the joke, but he only meant it teasingly.

Tomás 笑他弟弟沒聽懂那個笑話，說他頭腦遲鈍，但只是開玩笑而已。

informal register: calling someone dense

Yara felt dense when she could not solve the simple puzzle her friend finished in seconds.

Yara 覺得自己很笨，因為她解不開那個朋友幾秒鐘就解出來的簡單謎題。

同義詞
  • thick

    equally informal and derogatory

  • slow

    slightly milder; focuses on processing speed

  • dull

    formal and old-fashioned

反義詞
  • quick

    fast to understand

  • sharp

    mentally alert and intelligent

  • bright

    intelligent and quick-thinking

文法句型

be + dense

用法筆記

Can be offensive if used directly about a person's intelligence. Often softened with self-deprecation ('I felt so dense'). Prefer 'slow' or 'not quick to catch on' in polite conversation.

常見錯誤

❌My teacher is so dense — she gives too much homework.
✅My teacher is so strict / demanding
💡she gives too much homework.' — 'dense' means stupid, not strict or harsh.

4. packed with so many ideas or details that following it requires close attention

4.形容詞
釋義

難懂

內容訊息量大的

packed with so many ideas or details that following it requires close attention and effort

例句

Priya found the philosophy textbook too dense to read before bed.

Priya 覺得那本哲學教科書內容太密集，不適合睡前閱讀。

collocation: dense text / dense writing

The judge's ruling was so dense with legal terms that Bao had to read it twice.

法官的判決書充滿了法律術語，Bao 不得不讀兩遍。

pattern: dense with [details / references / information]

同義詞
  • complex

    suggests many interconnected parts; 'dense' suggests a large amount of content in a small space

  • condensed

    suggests deliberate compression; 'dense' can be a natural quality

反義詞

文法句型

dense + noun

be + dense

dense with + noun

用法筆記

Typically describes written or spoken material that is intellectually demanding, not unpleasantly long. Often collocates with 'dense with' to name what fills the text.

常見錯誤

❌The movie plot was too dense — I did not understand it.
✅The movie plot was too confusing / complicated
💡I did not understand it.' — 'dense' for plot implies information-packed, not necessarily confusing.