1
as in extremely
to a great degree
that was a very brave thing to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in really
in actual fact
the very same thing happened to me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in same
being one and not another
we stayed in the very hotel my parents stayed in for their honeymoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mere
being this and no more
the very thought of having to go through that again is scary
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in real
existing in fact and not merely as a possibility
tourism is the very lifeblood of this community—the town would surely die without it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in simple
having no exceptions or restrictions
the very nerve of that woman—telling me how to raise my own children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of very
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
The Preakness went off roughly 24 hours after a horse died following the completion of his very first race.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Newcastle 1-1 West Ham Arsenal vs Burnley From the very start of this season, Arsenal’s pursuit of their first Premier League title since 2004 has been a slog.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for very
Adverb
The difference comes down to a handful of low-effort tweaks and a few very specific travel accessories that do the heavy lifting.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
The Preakness went off roughly 24 hours after a horse died following the completion of his very first race.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Adjective
And the legislature’s shortcut implicated the very reasons that the procedure exists.
—Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Newcastle 1-1 West Ham Arsenal vs Burnley From the very start of this season, Arsenal’s pursuit of their first Premier League title since 2004 has been a slog.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for very
Recent Examples of Synonyms for very
Adverb
-
But even Black athletes whose athleticism gifted them an extremely exclusive express lane in life can tell you stories about growing up a minority in America, or tales their parents or grandparents have told.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
-
The theory of quantum electrodynamics (QED) suggests that when light at extremely high intensities interacts with the vacuum, it can be converted into matter.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Adverb
-
Both Mbappe and Alcaraz went with a sultry vibe for their cover portraits, but what really got the internet aflutter was the cheeky photos of Alcaraz rolling around in the red dirt.—
Ava Wallace,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
The main thing to know about the draft is that no one really knows anything.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Despite being down 3-2 in the first period of Game 5, the Canadiens were carrying much of the play in a road game — same with the Sabres in the first period of Game 6.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
This season, the rest of the league has made an adjustment to his success, and that same game plan has been his weakness.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Every piece of content is now viewed as a potential point of sale, and platform algorithms are increasingly prioritizing content that drives conversion over mere entertainment.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
-
Xabi Alonso has been exposed to far too much elite football wisdom to be labelled a mere Guardiola disciple, but his style of play offers the path to a positive form of continuity while his status in the game commands far greater respect than any BlueCo hire since Mauricio Pochettino.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
There’s no real way around historical McCarthyism.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
-
Later in the day, the menu shifts to a mix of Chinese and international dishes, but the view is the real star.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
The useful answer may be simpler than expected once the real priority becomes obvious.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
-
The decor with sheepskin rugs and arm lamps for reading lights is neither flashy nor overtly quirky, but simple and homey, as if it were designed by a tasteful Scandinavian grandmother who relocated to the wilds of Patagonia.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
Adverb
-
Football clubs are filled with talented professionals who work incredibly hard.—
Shivaas Gulati,
Sportico.com,
12 May 2026
-
While that sort of payday would be life-changing for the overwhelming majority of humans walking the planet, Reitan is the exception, thanks to his historic and incredibly lucrative family business.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Adverb
-
JPMorgan’s analysis notes that while billions of barrels of inventory may sound substantial, the amount of truly usable buffer stock may only be around 800 million barrels.—
,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
Chelsea have lacked a truly elite goalkeeper since Thibaut Courtois’ departure in 2018, but encouragingly for them, Alonso succeeded without one at Leverkusen; Lukas Hradecky was widely regarded in Germany as good rather than great at the time, while being prone to the occasional error.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Very.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/very. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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