greatly

adverb great·ly \ ˈgrāt-lē \

Definition of greatly

1 :to a great extent or degree :very much

contributed greatly to improved relations

not greatly bothered

2 :in a great manner :nobly, magnanimously

a man may live greatly in the law
—O. W. Holmes †1935

See greatly defined for English-language learners

Examples of greatly in a Sentence

She has contributed greatly to our success.
They don't seem to be greatly bothered by the delay.

Recent Examples of greatly from the Web

Additionally, the new lighting fixtures will greatly reduce the ongoing maintenance over the old sodium bulbs.

— sheila vilvens, Cincinnati.com, "Clermont County Roundup: County Fair fun, a land battle, road and light improvements in Loveland," 20 July 2017
The Republican health-care proposals promise to greatly reduce funding for Medicaid.

— The Economist, "What would Hippocrates do?Most people addicted to opioids receive no treatment," 13 July 2017
Strengthening both of these muscle groups helps with better joint mechanics and greatly reduces the risk of injuring your knees.

— jason wanlass, idahostatesman, "Get a leg up on your training," 7 July 2017
The data shows it’s the rural communities that have greatly benefited from the Medicaid expansion.

— april dembosky, Kaiser Health News, "Obamacare Inspires Unlikely Political Action In California’s Red Region," 7 July 2017
The WISE space telescope was repurposed in 2013 to search for NEOs, and telescopes coming online in the 2020s could greatly expand the catalogue of potentially hazardous asteroids and other planetary bodies.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "NASA Spacecraft Would Smash Into an Asteroid as a Dry Run for Saving the Planet," 3 July 2017
She will be greatly missed and her legacy will live on in the agency that now bears her name.

— sheldon s. shafer, The Courier-Journal, "Trail-blazing advertising executive Debbie Scoppechio dies," 29 June 2017
Like many Brooklyn transplants, Lamby has benefited greatly from the frequent hikes, swims, good weather, and ample space that a Los Angeles life affords.

— allison p. davis, The Cut, "Inside the Training Facility Where Lena Dunham Left Her Dog," 26 June 2017
Fans of the app claim this greatly reduces grogginess and the temptation to hit your snooze button ten times.

— girlboss, Teen Vogue, "How to Be a Productive Morning Person," 22 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'greatly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of greatly

13th century

greatly Synonyms

Synonyms

gallantly, grandly, greatheartedly, heroically, high-mindedly, honorably, magnanimously, nobly

Antonyms

basely, currishly, dishonorably, ignobly

Related Words

loftily, venerably; magnificently, majestically; bravely, chivalrously, courageously, valiantly

Near Antonyms

abominably, contemptibly, despicably, detestably, hatefully, nastily, pitiably, sorrily, wretchedly; degenerately

GREATLY Defined for English Language Learners

greatly

adverb

Definition of greatly for English Language Learners

: to a great extent or degree : very much

Learn More about greatly

See words that rhyme with greatly Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for greatly Spanish Central: Translation of greatly Nglish: Translation of greatly for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of greatly for Arabic speakers

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greatly

Definition of greatly

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greatly

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