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 Milton
Synonyms
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 WebBill Hutchinson, ABC News, 24 Nov. 2023
According to Kemper, Matthew resembles both parents in very different ways.
—Kara Nesvig, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023
Nardin While today’s horological landscape sees high-end independent brands crafting mind-numbingly creative timepieces by hand, 20 years ago things looked very different.
—Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 24 Nov. 2023
Avène The French pharmacy standby is offering a very American deal this Black Friday.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2023
With sitewide savings of 30%, Brooklyn Bedding’s Black Friday sale has some very nice discounts to peruse.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 24 Nov. 2023
Rock has become a very obscure kind of label to call something.
—Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Nov. 2023
It is limited to just 555 pieces and will set you back $17,400; Breguet, meanwhile, might be better known for its very traditional dress watches, but the company actually has a very close history to aviation.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 12 Nov. 2023
Jan Stepanek at the Mayo Clinic points out that scientists once thought blood clots were very unlikely to occur in the absence of Earth’s gravity.
—Kim Tingley, New York Times, 12 Nov. 2023
Stephen Daw, Billboard, 24 Nov. 2023
The stark choice employees now face between profits and purpose harkens back to OpenAI’s very roots.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2023
Addiction, by its very nature, blocks one’s ability to be honest with themselves and others, be consistent, deliver on promises, be emotionally generous and considerate of another person’s needs, be accountable when wrong, and show up every day willing to work at a relationship.
—Shon Faye, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2023
At 54, Perry’s life was cut short, but Chandler will always be right there, scowling at the very idea of giving thanks when families are broken and dysfunctional.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 23 Nov. 2023
In 1943, a guest conductor at Carnegie Hall fell ill, and Bernstein, the 25-year-old assistant conductor, was asked to step in at the last minute, with no rehearsal, for a concert that very evening.
—Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2023
As in any account of Napoleon’s life, there is an underlying comedy in the very attempt to squash an unruly mob of incidents into a tight dramatic space.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2023
Thank you, Professor Nelson, for giving us your time in the very hour before your sabbatical begins.
—Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023
At the very end, when Sherman’s character decides to embrace the pop star’s presence, musical guests Boygenius even showed as additional Troy Sivans for one last delirious bit of choreo.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2023
See More
Adverb
Those have been the things that have really brought the United States and Israel so very close together.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 24 Nov. 2023
According to Kemper, Matthew resembles both parents in very different ways.
—Kara Nesvig, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023
Nardin While today’s horological landscape sees high-end independent brands crafting mind-numbingly creative timepieces by hand, 20 years ago things looked very different.
—Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 24 Nov. 2023
Avène The French pharmacy standby is offering a very American deal this Black Friday.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2023
With sitewide savings of 30%, Brooklyn Bedding’s Black Friday sale has some very nice discounts to peruse.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 24 Nov. 2023
Rock has become a very obscure kind of label to call something.
—Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Nov. 2023
It is limited to just 555 pieces and will set you back $17,400; Breguet, meanwhile, might be better known for its very traditional dress watches, but the company actually has a very close history to aviation.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 12 Nov. 2023
Jan Stepanek at the Mayo Clinic points out that scientists once thought blood clots were very unlikely to occur in the absence of Earth’s gravity.
—Kim Tingley, New York Times, 12 Nov. 2023
Adjective
The album’s origins date back to 2017, when Rogers began a one-man show in New York City, making fun of the very concept of the celebrity Christmas album.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 24 Nov. 2023
The stark choice employees now face between profits and purpose harkens back to OpenAI’s very roots.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2023
Addiction, by its very nature, blocks one’s ability to be honest with themselves and others, be consistent, deliver on promises, be emotionally generous and considerate of another person’s needs, be accountable when wrong, and show up every day willing to work at a relationship.
—Shon Faye, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2023
At 54, Perry’s life was cut short, but Chandler will always be right there, scowling at the very idea of giving thanks when families are broken and dysfunctional.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 23 Nov. 2023
In 1943, a guest conductor at Carnegie Hall fell ill, and Bernstein, the 25-year-old assistant conductor, was asked to step in at the last minute, with no rehearsal, for a concert that very evening.
—Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2023
As in any account of Napoleon’s life, there is an underlying comedy in the very attempt to squash an unruly mob of incidents into a tight dramatic space.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2023
Thank you, Professor Nelson, for giving us your time in the very hour before your sabbatical begins.
—Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023
At the very end, when Sherman’s character decides to embrace the pop star’s presence, musical guests Boygenius even showed as additional Troy Sivans for one last delirious bit of choreo.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2023
See More
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.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English verray, verry, from Anglo-French verai, from Vulgar Latin *veracus, alteration of Latin verac-, verax truthful, from verus true; akin to Old English wǣr true, Old High German wāra trust, care, Greek ēra (accusative) favor
First Known Use
Adverb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7a
Time Traveler
The first known use of very was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing very
Dictionary Entries Near very
Cite this Entry
“Very.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/very. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on very
Nglish: Translation of very for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of very for Arabic Speakers
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