1
: to a high degree : exceedingly
very hot
didn't hurt very much
2
: in actual fact : truly
the very best store in town
told the very same story
verier; veriest
1
2
a
: unqualified, sheer
the very shame of it
3
—used as an intensive especially to emphasize identity
before my very eyes
5
: being the same one : selfsame
the very man I saw
6
: special, particular
the very essence of truth is plainness and brightness—
John Milton
John MiltonSynonyms
Adverb
- achingly
- almighty
- archly
- awful
- awfully
- badly
- beastly
- blisteringly
- bone
- colossally
- corking
- cracking
- damn
- damned
- dang
- deadly
- desperately
- eminently
- enormously
- especially
- ever
- exceedingly
- exceeding
- extra
- extremely
- fabulously
- fantastically
- far
- fiercely
- filthy
- frightfully
- full
- greatly
- heavily
- highly
- hugely
- immensely
- incredibly
- intensely
- jolly
- majorly
- mightily
- mighty
- monstrous [chiefly dialect]
- mortally
- most
- much
- particularly
- passing
- rattling
- real
- really
- right
- roaring
- roaringly
- seriously
- severely
- so
- sore
- sorely
- spanking
- specially
- stinking
- such
- super
- supremely
- surpassingly
- terribly
- that
- thumping
- too
- unco
- uncommonly
- vastly
- vitally
- way
- whacking
- wicked
- wildly
Adjective
Examples of very in a Sentence
Adverb
that was a very brave thing to do
the very same thing happened to me
Adjective
we stayed in the very hotel my parents stayed in for their honeymoon
the very thought of having to go through that again is scary
Recent Examples on the WebBrian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
The Nuggets had 15 offensive rebounds for 18 second-chance points, killers against a Lakers team operating with very tight margins for error.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2024
But it was regarded very highly by all the people in the music business.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 21 Apr. 2024
Right now, there is no help for animal control officers who are constantly under staffed and experienced again a very high turn over.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2024
Odoo Suite was very excited to integrate the changes suggested by users, convincing Diogo that this platform had high potential to surpass legacy systems that global leaders may use.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2024
Fallon is celebrating his own special moment, the 10-year milestone as host of his very own late night show.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2024
Last week, Trump Media disclosed losing $58 million last year on very light revenue of just $4.1 million.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
Aron said the program has been very successful but didn’t provide numbers.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
Rhaina Cohen, NPR, 22 Apr. 2024
The very title of the film seemed to invite glib headlines and snooty remarks about the overweening ambition of the grandiose filmmaker who was caught waist deep in the big muddy of the Vietnam of his mind.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2024
Though the decision cast doubt on the very reason Alam gave for shooting Kirby, the incident was deemed in line with department policy and the officer was not criminally charged.
—Detroit Free Press, 21 Apr. 2024
Image The very idea sends some Democrats right back to 1968, when their convention, also in Chicago, was overshadowed by infighting and violence between the police and antiwar protesters.
—Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024
Having reporters choose what to censor in real time seems like a bad approach to a case that tests the very limits of judicial power and America’s constitutional order.
—Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2024
The very catalyst for Wong’s research may also play an important role: sleep.
—Lindsey Leake, Fortune Well, 19 Apr. 2024
As well as undermining free speech and due-process rights, the new rule will have sweeping and disastrous consequences for women and girls, the very people Title IX was supposed to protect.
—Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 19 Apr. 2024
Protests and upheaval against the two men’s deaths, racial injustice and a war of false pretenses were ripping apart the nation’s very soul.
—David Baldacci, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
Adverb
These women were already very important in the company.
—Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
The Nuggets had 15 offensive rebounds for 18 second-chance points, killers against a Lakers team operating with very tight margins for error.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2024
But it was regarded very highly by all the people in the music business.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 21 Apr. 2024
Right now, there is no help for animal control officers who are constantly under staffed and experienced again a very high turn over.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2024
Odoo Suite was very excited to integrate the changes suggested by users, convincing Diogo that this platform had high potential to surpass legacy systems that global leaders may use.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2024
Fallon is celebrating his own special moment, the 10-year milestone as host of his very own late night show.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2024
Last week, Trump Media disclosed losing $58 million last year on very light revenue of just $4.1 million.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
Aron said the program has been very successful but didn’t provide numbers.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
Adjective
The Science of Siblings is a new series exploring the ways our siblings can influence us, from our money and our mental health all the way down to our very molecules.
—Rhaina Cohen, NPR, 22 Apr. 2024
The very title of the film seemed to invite glib headlines and snooty remarks about the overweening ambition of the grandiose filmmaker who was caught waist deep in the big muddy of the Vietnam of his mind.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2024
Though the decision cast doubt on the very reason Alam gave for shooting Kirby, the incident was deemed in line with department policy and the officer was not criminally charged.
—Detroit Free Press, 21 Apr. 2024
Image The very idea sends some Democrats right back to 1968, when their convention, also in Chicago, was overshadowed by infighting and violence between the police and antiwar protesters.
—Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024
Having reporters choose what to censor in real time seems like a bad approach to a case that tests the very limits of judicial power and America’s constitutional order.
—Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2024
The very catalyst for Wong’s research may also play an important role: sleep.
—Lindsey Leake, Fortune Well, 19 Apr. 2024
As well as undermining free speech and due-process rights, the new rule will have sweeping and disastrous consequences for women and girls, the very people Title IX was supposed to protect.
—Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 19 Apr. 2024
Protests and upheaval against the two men’s deaths, racial injustice and a war of false pretenses were ripping apart the nation’s very soul.
—David Baldacci, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'very.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near very
Cite this Entry
“Very.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/very. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
very
1 of 2 adjective
verier; veriest
1
: being actual or real
2
a
: exact entry 2 sense 1, precise
the very heart of the city
b
: exactly suitable or necessary
the very thing for the purpose
3
: mere entry 2, bare
the very thought terrified them
4
: exactly the same
the very one I saw yesterday
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share