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 Web
Fred Sassani, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
The tutorials are very informative, and produce real-world results like illuminating an LED, activating a buzzer, and other fun projects).
—Bob Beacham, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2024
John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Nov. 2024
There’s a strong resemblance to the transcendent coda of Mahler’s Third Symphony, in which two pairs of timpani pound repeatedly on D and A, doubling the values at the very end.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for very 
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
On the grill: Believe it or not, grilling is a very healthy way to cook meat.
—Fred Sassani, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
The tutorials are very informative, and produce real-world results like illuminating an LED, activating a buzzer, and other fun projects).
—Bob Beacham, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Texans are paying an especially high price for your failure, sometimes with their very lives, as local leaders from your own party will tell you if given the chance.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Nov. 2024
There’s a strong resemblance to the transcendent coda of Mahler’s Third Symphony, in which two pairs of timpani pound repeatedly on D and A, doubling the values at the very end.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for very
Dictionary Entries Near very
Cite this Entry
“Very.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/very. Accessed 28 Nov. 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