Comprehensive
Dictionary Suite
Help
Help
Help
 
     
Lookup History
very

ver·y

very

 
pronunciation:
ve ri
parts of speech:
adverb, adjective
features:
Word Combinations (adjective), Note, Homophone Note
part of speech: adverb
definition 1: to a great extent; in a high degree; extremely.
He is very sad.It is very cold tonight.
 
synonyms:
awfully, especially, exceedingly, extremely, quite, so, terribly
antonyms:
slightly
similar words:
downright, most, pretty
definition 2: used to make an adjective or identifier stronger.
She is the very best student in the class.He now has his very own car.
 
part of speech: adjective
inflections: verier, veriest
definition 1: exact; precise.
Your help was the very thing we needed.
synonyms:
absolute, exact, express, precise
similar words:
explicit, ideal, particular, specific
definition 2: complete; extreme.
He lives at the very end of the street.
synonyms:
extreme
similar words:
utter
definition 3: same.
This is the very place I saw him yesterday.
synonyms:
identical, same
definition 4: by itself; mere.
The very sight of him makes me laugh.
synonyms:
mere
similar words:
least, plain, simple
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
very, so, or too?
Very is used to express a high degree of some quality. So can be used to express a high degree of some quality when you use it with strong emotion. So does not express a high degree by itself. We use too when there is something that cannot or does not happen because of the degree of some quality.
Compare:
  • The soup is very hot.
  • The soup is so hot!
  • The soup is too hot to eat.
Homophone Note
Are you looking for the word vary (to change or be different)? Some people say the words very and vary in exactly the same way, but these two words have different meanings.