so

1 of 7

adverb

ˈsō 

 especially before an adjective or adverb followed by "that"  sə

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 sense 1

for so the Lord said

—Isaiah 18:4 (King James Version)

d

: then, subsequently

and so home and to bed

2

a(1)

: to an indicated or suggested extent or degree

had never been so happy

—used chiefly in negative constructions with a following correlative element introduced by as

thought that his share wasn't so big as his brother's

(2)

: to the same extent or degree : to such a degree : as sense 1

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

informal : most decidedly : surely

I so don't believe you

3

: therefore, consequently

the witness is biased and so unreliable

Can so be used as an intensive?: Usage Guide

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

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

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.

so

2 of 7

conjunction

1

a

: with the result that

the acoustics are good, so every note is clear

b

: in order that

be quiet so he can sleep

2

archaic : provided that

3

a

: for that reason : therefore

don't want to go, so I won't

b(1)

—used as an introductory particle

so here we are

often to belittle a point under discussion

so what?

(2)

—used interjectionally to indicate awareness of a discovery

so, that's who did it

or surprised dissent

Using So as a Conjunction: Usage Guide

Although occasionally condemned, use of so to introduce clauses of result (sense 1a) and purpose (sense 1b) is standard. In sense 1b so that is more common in formal contexts than so alone.

so

3 of 7

adjective

1

: conforming with actual facts : true

said things that were not so

2

: marked by a desired order

his books are always just so

3

—used to replace a preceding adjective

was witty by adult standards and of course doubly so by mine

—Sally Kempton

so

4 of 7

pronoun

1

: such as has been specified or suggested : the same

if you have to file a claim, do so as soon as possible

2

—used in the phrase or so to indicate an estimate, approximation, or conjecture

stayed a week or so

cost $15 or so

so

5 of 7

noun

ˈsō 

less common variant of sol

: the fifth note of the major scale in solfège

so

6 of 7

abbreviation (1)

south; southern

SO

7 of 7

abbreviation (2)

1

seller's option

2

strikeout

Phrases

so as to

: in order to

Synonyms

Adverb

• accordingly
• consequently
• ergo
• hence
• therefore
• thereupon
• thus
• wherefore

Adjective

• accurate
• bang on [chiefly British]
• correct
• dead-on
• exact
• good
• on-target
• precise
• proper
• right
• spot-on
• true
• veracious

Examples of so in a Sentence

Adverb

I don't think they can score twice in so short a time.

There has always been an interest in genetic cloning, but never more so than in recent years.

He looked so handsome in his suit.

We are all so excited about the trip.

I'm so happy that you decided to join us for dinner.

I feel so much better after taking that nap.

Thank you so much for your help.

He dislikes her so much that he won't even talk to her.

The test was not so very hard after all.

“He is about so tall,” she said, raising her hand about six feet in the air.

Conjunction

We were bored with the movie, so we left.

I don't want to go, so I won't.

There are no more chairs available, so you'll have to stand.

Adjective

You are saying things that are just not so.

I heard you met the president—is that so?

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

The blitz-happy Vikings get after the QB practically as well as any defense in the league and the immobile Cousins, who has thrown 13 picks so far and no TDs in three games, is terrible against pressure. —Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 6 Dec. 2024

But so far, neither Musk nor Ramaswamy seem to grasp the complexities of the $6.8 trillion US budget. —Allison Morrow, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Policies of pursuing lasting peace, all the more so policies in the spirit of the two-state solution, must rest on the practical assumption that the dangers to Israel and its citizens, as nurtured and practiced by terrorist organizations, have been permanently eliminated. —Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2023

But privacy in the court system is kind of an important details to be on top of so way to go at them and getting it and give credit to the court for moving quickly to fix it. —Laura Johnston, cleveland, 8 Apr. 2022

Noun

The movie, directed by Paul King, who also wrote the story (and co-wrote the script with Simon Farnaby), depends entirely on a just-so imagination. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2023

Modern synthetic oil is safe to use in all types of vehicles, ranging from new purchases to classics to aging not-so-classics. —Annie White, Car and Driver, 3 Dec. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

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

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Conjunction

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Pronoun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing so

• afraid so
• (all) the more so
• and so forth
• and so on
• as/so far as one can see/tell/judge
• as/so far as one/someone knows
• as/so far as (someone) is concerned
• as/so far as (something) goes
• as/so far as (something) is concerned
• be/make so bold
• be so kind
• deservedly so
• even so
• ever so
• ever so slightly
• every so often
• go so far
• hope so
• how so
• if I may/might say so
• if I may say so
• if I say so myself
• if so
• if you don't mind my/me saying so
• in so many words
• I think so
• it (just) so happens that
• I told you (so)
• just so
• like so
• like so much
• never had it so good
• never so much as
• nothing so much as
• not so fast
• not so long ago
• not so much (something) as (something else)
• or so
• say-so
• so-and-so
• so as to
• so be it
• so-called
• so disposed
• so do I
• so don't I
• so far
• so far as
• so far, so good
• so help me
• so inclined
• so I see
• so it seems
• so long
• so long as
• so many
• so much
• so much as
• so much for
• so much so (that)
• so much the better
• so-so
• so that
• so there
• so the story goes
• so thick you could cut it with a knife
• so to speak
• so what
• very much so
• without (so much as) a by your leave
• would you be so good

Kids Definition

so

1 of 5 adverb

(ˈ)sō 

 especially before adj or adv followed by  ",

 that  " sə

1

a

: in a manner or way that is indicated or suggested

do you really think so

it so happened that all were wrong

—often used as a substitute for a preceding clause

I didn't like it and told her so

b

: in the same manner or way : also

worked hard and so did we

c

: then entry 1 sense 2

and so home and to bed

2

a

: to an indicated or suggested amount or way

had never been so happy

b

: very much

I loved them so

c

: to a definite but not specified amount

can only do so much in a day

d

: most certainly : indeed

you did so do it

e

informal : most decidedly : surely

I so don't believe you

3

: for a reason that has just been stated : therefore

is honest and so returned the wallet

so

2 of 5 conjunction

(ˈ)sō

1

a

: with the result that

the way you speak is good, so every word is clear

b

: in order that

be quiet so that I can sleep

2

archaic : provided that

3

: for that reason

don't want to go, so I won't

4

a

—used to introduce a statement or question

so here we are

often to belittle a point under discussion

so what?

b

—used interjectionally to indicate awareness of a discovery

so, that's who did it

so

3 of 5 adjective

ˈsō

1

: agreeing with actual facts : true

said things that were not so

2

: marked by a definite order

my books are always just so

so

4 of 5 pronoun

ˌsō,

ˈsō

1

: such as has been specified : the same

if you have to sign up for the trip, do so as soon as possible

2

: approximately that

20 years or so

so

5 of 5 noun

ˈsō

: sol entry 1