“Very” is that exaggeration word, without which many of us feel incomplete. “It was a very hard match,” “you are very disgusting”… See, can we do without very? The answer is yes, and no! Not the time to get confused; it’s time to say bye-bye to the word, and find sophisticated alternatives. Using the same word to add emphasis to your emotion now has an upgrade.
All you need to do is give this lesson a thorough read. You will understand how changing the word in various situations has many alternatives. The example sentences will guide you through using that replacement with ease. At Vocabulary Today, we strongly and regularly suggest that learners practice the language constantly. English is a language and so just reading about it is just not enough.
To begin with, let’s understand the exact definition and grammar of the word. Very refers to something that is of high degree, or to express something more than regular. It is an adjective.
All you need to do is give this lesson a thorough read. You will understand how changing the word in various situations has many alternatives. The example sentences will guide you through using that replacement with ease. At Vocabulary Today, we strongly and regularly suggest that learners practice the language constantly. English is a language and so just reading about it is just not enough. There are some common words that we use with “very” almost every day. Here are some words to use instead of very.
Replacements of Very
1. Profoundly
Mostly, profoundly comes in use to express deep feelings or a state. Every time you want to say, “I am very hurt by your words,” change things a little. Go on to say, “I am profoundly hurt by your words.” You can also use deeply, or battered in this context. Battered is an excellent choice to express deep feelings.
Optional Word: Battered- It is an excellent choice to express deep feelings.
2. Unusually
“There is something very scary about this place.” This is a very common sentence, not just in usage, but also linguistically. Change this with a substitute. “There is something unusually scary about this place.”
Optional Word: Eerie- You can make the sentence short to describe situations that seem extremely unusual or fear with the word eerie. “This place is eerie.” It makes the length of the sentence shorter and more polished.
3. Certainly
Not many people would think of this word to use as an alternative. But the truth is, those who understand that one would have to change the placement of words in a sentence, will be able to use such alternatives. Here is an example sentence. “I am certain that they will show up late for his meeting.” It makes a perfect alternative for the phrase “very sure.”
4. Eminently
Eminently is a short-cut replacement for the word “very.” “The book my teacher suggested in class is an eminently readable textbook.” It would be simple to replace this with our word in question. But the entire point is to bid the word bye-bye, remember?
5. Superlatively
Superlatively in itself sounds so powerful, that we would want to dump “very” anytime. It is apt to express high-degree emotions. It would be so much better if we say, “This is a superlative skill that not a lot of people possess.” Like the many other substitutes, this one also refurbishes the sentence altogether.
6. Prodigiously
When we use this word, it means something is in great ability, amount, or strength. Using the same old “very” in such situations makes the sentence very monotonous. Prodigiously uplifts the emphasis you want to lay on the sentence. An example of this sentence would be, “Mirinda is a prodigiously gifted singer.” Doesn’t it make her expertise sound extraordinary?
7. Exceedingly
The word exceedingly is a give-away by itself. Also indicating at something in high-degree, this word is an impeccable alternative for very. When we say, “Oh, my brother is handsome and exceedingly kind!” Using this substitute makes a difference. It does not just imply that the brother is kind but kind to a great degree.
8. Cosmically
This word could be a new word for many. Cosmically also means extremely, but takes the sentence’s level up a notch. Here is an example sentence cited in the Cambridge dictionary. “We were angry that we missed out on a recess for something so cosmically stupid.“
Why not leave us some sentences below? If you found this article helpful, let us know in the comment section below. Are you looking for some alternatives for other such common words? Leave them for us to read, and we shall cover a lesson on the same. Happy learning!
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