Sometimes we want to add emphasis to what we feel or do. Perhaps we don’t want to just tell someone “I love you”, but “I love you very much.” Maybe we don’t want to just describe “I work hard”, but “I work very hard.”
Very is a commonly used word in the English language that works as a superlative, a word that adds length, weight, boldness, and an emphasis to an adverb.
Sometimes though, if we use very too often (i.e. “I love this very much”; “I ran very fast”; “I worked very hard”), it can become redundant. If you use the same word over and over, it can lose its meaning; it can lose its value.
Sometimes, telling someone seriously, “I love you,” holds more weight than saying “I love you very much.” This can be avoided by selectively choosing when to use “very”, and only using it when you truly mean it. This overuse can also be avoided by adding variety to your language.
There are many very synonyms to use in place of very that add diversity and color to the way we speak or write, and perhaps some synonyms are more fitting for what we mean to say than just “very”.
Synonyms of Very:
Abundantly:
a very large number of something
- The corporation made it abundantly clear to their clients that they were going to make amends for the cyber hack.
- We had abundantly packed for the 3 week trip around Asia; leaving almost nothing behind.
- My home growing up always felt abundantly filled with love.
Acutely:
a very sharp understanding or insight to something
- The artificially intelligent cyborg has an acutely sarcastic sense of humor.
- The citizens are becoming acutely aware of corruption going on inside the country’s political institutions.
- The acutely intelligent professor was made famous by his research.
Deeply:
very far down
- I deeply regret not apologizing sooner to my father after years of silence.
- He was deeply in love with the woman, willing to sacrifice anything for her.
- She feels deeply peaceful when leaving her yoga classes, before returning to the chaotic city.
Extremely:
to a very great measure or degree of something
- The futbol team played extremely well for a mostly young league, competing in the playoffs.
- The students’ performance was extremely impressive at the national youth competition.
- The salesman can be extremely persuasive when wanting to make a profit.
Exceptionally:
very unique
- The mathematician is an exceptionally gifted thinker.
- You look exceptionally beautiful this evening.
- This is an exceptionally delicious meal.
Extraordinarily:
very unique or special
- This was an extraordinarily creative Olympics’ opening ceremony.
- You have to be an extraordinarily fast runner to participate in the Olympics’ track divisions.
- The company offered a pay-raise to their esteemed worker, for being an extraordinarily gifted software programmer.
Greatly:
a great amount or degree of something
- I was greatly appreciative to all the people who came out to support my family during my grandmother’s death.
- We had a greatly adventurous time during our college experience.
- The government had a greatly ambitious plan to help boost the economy.
Highly:
to a higher degree; something very favorable or well done
- He is a highly esteemed worker, always giving his best.
- The mother was highly grateful to her children for the birthday party organized by them.
- I am highly close to my mother; we have a very trusting relationship.
Hugely:
to a great extent
- I want my students to be hugely motivated to come to my class each and every day.
- This is a hugely ambitious venture for me to tackle a full running marathon, with only three months to train.
- We shared a hugely decadent meal amongst friends over our vacation.
Immensely:
to a very great extent
- She is an immensely gracious person, always a role model to those around her.
- I am immensely excited for our trip through South Asia.
- My husband came home immensely tired from work yesterday; I think we need a vacation soon.
Intensely:
to an extreme degree
- He loved her intensely, but she did not feel the same way about him.
- The Texas heat can be intensely hot, and sometimes even dangerous during the summer months.
- I’ve become intensely paranoid about my security since the robbery in our neighborhood last week.
Really:
very
- Sometimes, I just really need a big, juicy burger for dinner.
- Do you really want to know my secret recipe for my banana cream pie?
- I am really sure this is the man for me, and I want to marry him.
Remarkably:
very worthy of attention
- It’s a remarkably beautiful day today.
- The iPhone remarkably changed the way we use cell phones today.
- I’m not vegan, but this meatless meal was remarkably good.
Tremendously:
a very great extent
- I’ve gotten tremendously far in learning English, since I began learning a few months ago.
- My mother has always been a tremendously hard worker.
- We took a tremendously long road trip across Alaska one summer.
Truly:
to the fullest degree or something
- I truly am happy here in my new apartment.
- We are truly grateful for the wedding gifts we received from friends and family.
- The accused man pleaded that he was truly innocent before the jury.
So much:
to a higher degree
- I love you so much.
- Thank you so much for coming all this way to see me.
- We are so much closer after having worked together for the past three years.
Supremely:
very well; excellently; to the highest ranking
- This is a supremely well-crafted leather chair, hand-made and imported from Italy.
- The university has a supremely renowned faculty of professors.
- For being a used and restored laptop, it’s working supremely well and efficiently.
More for you:
Difference Between VERY, QUITE, TOO and SO!
Different Ways to Say “You Are Beautiful!”
