What does dense mean?
Word: Dense
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Dense means packed tightly together, with very little space in between, like trees in a jungle or fog you cannot see through. It can also describe something that is heavy for its size.
Synonyms: thick, packed, compact
How do you spell dense?
Syllables: dense
Tricky part: The end sounds like the end of fence, but dense takes an s there, not a c.
Watch out for: dence, dennse
Memory tip: Imagine a curly S-shaped vine winding through a dense jungle: that curly S is the letter that makes the hissing sound at the end.
Dense in a sentence
Example 1: The dense fog over the highway made every car crawl along with its headlights on.
Example 2: Monkeys swung through the dense branches of the Western Ghats rainforest.
Example 3: A small rock can feel surprisingly heavy because it is so dense.
Fun Fact
Scientists use dense in a special way: a dense object packs a lot of matter into a small space, which is why a block of iron sinks in water while a much bigger log floats.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the option in which the following letters will fit in the given order:
e, e
a) pl__ng__
b) b__lg__
c) gr__dg__
d) d__ns__
Show answer
d) d__ns__. E and e complete dense; plunge, grudge and bulge all need a u in the first gap.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its opposite:
1. dense 2. fragile 3. humid a. dry b. sparse c. sturdy
a) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
c) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
Show answer
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a. A dense crowd is the opposite of a sparse one, a fragile toy of a sturdy one, and humid air of dry air.
Spell Probe
One word in the sentence is misspelt. Choose the meaning of that word:
The hikers pushed through the dense bushes and at last reached a clearing where a waterfall tumbled into a shalow pool.
a) not deep, so the bottom is close to the surface
b) water falling from a high place, such as over rocks
c) people who go on long walks in the countryside
d) an open space in a forest where no trees grow
Show answer
a) not deep, so the bottom is close to the surface. Shallow, with a double l, means not deep.
Sound Check
Which word does not rhyme with dense?
dense
a) tense
b) hence
c) immense
d) cleanse
Show answer
d) cleanse. Cleanse looks as if it should rhyme, but it ends with a z sound.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A gardener says the hedge has grown dense. What has happened to it?
a) It has turned from green to a dull brown
b) Its leaves and twigs have grown close together
c) It has lost most of its leaves in the wind
d) It has been cut short to the ground
Show answer
b) Its leaves and twigs have grown close together
2. Rani says a science book is too dense for her little brother. What does she probably mean?
a) It has too many bright, colourful pictures
b) It is printed in very large, easy letters
c) It is crammed with hard ideas on every page
d) It is too short to be worth reading
Show answer
c) It is crammed with hard ideas on every page
