so

¹so

adv
\ˈsō, especially before adjective or adv followed by “that” sə\

Definition of SO

1

a : in a manner or way indicated or suggested <do you really think so> —often used as a substitute for a preceding clause <are you ready? I think so> <I didn't like it and I told her so> b : in the same manner or way : also <worked hard and so did she> c : thus 1 <for so the Lord said — Isa 18:4(Authorized Version)> d : then, subsequently <and so home and to bed>

2

a : to an indicated or suggested extent or degree <had never been so happy> b : to a great extent or degree : very, extremely <loves her so> c : to a definite but unspecified extent or degree <can only do so much in a day> d : most certainly : indeed <you did so do it> e : most decidedly : surely <I so don't believe you>

3

: therefore, consequently <the witness is biased and so unreliable>

Usage Discussion of SO

The intensive use of so (sense 2b) is widely condemned in college handbooks but is nonetheless standard <why is American television so shallow? — Anthony Lewis> <the cephalopod eye is an example of a remarkable evolutionary parallel because it is so like the eye of a vertebrate — Sarah F. Robbins> <the kind of sterile over-ingenuity which afflicts so many academic efforts — Times Literary Supplement>. There is no stigma attached to its use in negative contexts and when qualified by a dependent clause <not so long ago> <was so good in mathematics that he began to consider engineering — Current Biography>. The denotation in these uses is, of course, slightly different (see sense 2a). Another emphatic use of so (sense 2e) has developed more recently and occurs mostly in informal contexts.

Examples of SO

1. I don't think they can score twice in so short a time.
2. There has always been an interest in genetic cloning, but never more so than in recent years.
3. He looked so handsome in his suit.
4. We are all so excited about the trip.
5. I'm so happy that you decided to join us for dinner.
6. I feel so much better after taking that nap.
7. Thank you so much for your help.
8. He dislikes her so much that he won't even talk to her.
9. The test was not so very hard after all.
10. “He is about so tall,” she said, raising her hand about six feet in the air.

Origin of SO

Middle English, from Old English swā; akin to Old High German sō so, Latin sic so, thus, si if, Greek hōs so, thus, Latin suus one's own — more at suicide

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to SO

Synonyms: accordingly, consequently, ergo, hence, therefore, thereupon, thus, wherefore

Antonyms: differently, dissimilarly, otherwise

Related Words: equally, equivalently, identically

Near Antonyms: contrarily, conversely, inversely, oppositely, vice versa; diversely, unequally, variously

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with SO

beau, blow, bow, bro, Chou, crow, do, doe, dough, floe, flow, foe, fro, froe, glow, go, grow, ho, hoe, jo, Jo, joe, know, lo, low, mho, mot, mow, no, No, O, oh, owe, Poe, pow, pro, rho, roe, row, Rowe, schmo, sew, show, sloe, slow, snow, sow, stow, Stowe, strow, though, throe, throw, toe, tow, trow, whoa, woe, yo