very

1 of 2

adverb

ˈver-ē How to pronounce very (audio)
ˈve-rē
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

very

2 of 2

adjective

verier; veriest
1
a
: exact, precise
the very heart of the city
b
: exactly suitable or necessary
the very thing for the purpose
2
a
: unqualified, sheer
the very shame of it
b
: absolute, utter
the veriest fool alive
3
used as an intensive especially to emphasize identity
before my very eyes
4
: mere, bare
the very thought terrified him
5
: being the same one : selfsame
the very man I saw
6
: special, particular
the very essence of truth is plainness and brightnessJohn Milton
7
a
: properly entitled to the name or designation : true
the fierce hatred of a very womanJ. M. Barrie
b
: actual, real
the very blood and bone of our grammarH. L. Smith †1972
c
: simple, plain
in very truth
Choose the Right Synonym for very

same, selfsame, very, identical, equivalent, equal mean not different or not differing from one another.

same may imply and selfsame always implies that the things under consideration are one thing and not two or more things.

took the same route
derived from the selfsame source

very, like selfsame, may imply identity, or, like same may imply likeness in kind.

the very point I was trying to make

identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

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 Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
Shayna Baszler and Katana Chance - Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament This match wasn’t very entertaining, but Kai winning made sense considering the options. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024 This last happened in 2013-14 resulting in a very cold winter. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Web scraping traces its roots back to the very origin of the internet. Sandro Shubladze, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024 The symbolism was impossible to ignore: The Syrian regime’s brutal reconquest of that very city in 2016 had demonstrated Russia’s military effectiveness. Nicole Grajewski, The Atlantic, 3 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for very 

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

Dictionary Entries Near very

Cite this Entry

“Very.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/very. Accessed 14 Dec. 2024.

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

very

2 of 2 adverb
1
: in actual fact : truly
told the very same story
2
: to a great degree : extremely
a very hot day
Etymology

Adjective

Middle English verray, verry "true, real," from early French verai (same meaning), derived from Latin verus "true" — related to verdict, verify

More from Merriam-Webster on very

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