ver·y
 very
|
|
- pronunciation:
- ve
ri
- parts of speech:
- adverb, adjective
- features:
- Note, Homophone Note
| part of speech: |
adverb |
| definition 1: |
to a great extent; in a high degree; extremely.
He is very sad.It is very cold tonight.
- synonyms:
- awfully, especially, exceedingly, extremely, quite, so, terribly
- antonyms:
- slightly
- similar words:
- downright, most, pretty
|
| definition 2: |
used to make an adjective or identifier stronger.
She is the very best student in the class.He now has his very own car. |
| related words: |
all, far, full |
|
|
|
|
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| inflections: |
verier, veriest |
| definition 1: |
exact; precise.
Your help was the very thing we needed.- synonyms:
- absolute, exact, express, precise
- similar words:
- explicit, ideal, particular, specific
|
| definition 2: |
complete; extreme.
He lives at the very end of the street.- synonyms:
- extreme
- similar words:
- utter
|
| definition 3: |
same.
This is the very place I saw him yesterday.- synonyms:
- identical, same
|
| definition 4: |
by itself; mere.
The very sight of him makes me laugh.- synonyms:
- mere
- similar words:
- least, plain, simple
|
very, so, or too?
Very is used to express a high degree of some quality.
So can be used to express a high degree of some quality when you use it with strong emotion.
So does not express a high degree by itself. We use
too when there is something that cannot or does not happen because of the degree of some quality.
Compare:
- The soup is very hot.
- The soup is so hot!
- The soup is too hot to eat.
Are you looking for the word
vary (to change or be different)? Some people say the words
very and
vary in exactly the same way, but these two words have different meanings.