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
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.
Recent Examples of very
Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
The Sox have been very active this offseason with trades and signings.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
In some ways it was set up to fail from the moment those infamous quotation marks around the title were revealed; an attempt by Fennell to get ahead of the very criticisms that have been published this week.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for very
Adverb
Manucurist’s Kératine Booster Serum has a very subtle aesthetic effect too—a matte cloudy white (but sheer) finish.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
The Sox have been very active this offseason with trades and signings.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
This was the very start of 1990.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
In some ways it was set up to fail from the moment those infamous quotation marks around the title were revealed; an attempt by Fennell to get ahead of the very criticisms that have been published this week.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for very
Recent Examples of Synonyms for very
Adverb
-
Perhaps, on extremely long timescales, those heavier elements will sink to the center of the core, producing an inert center that slows the rate of fusion even further.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Even in hockey – a sport that is extremely popular around the world – there are terms used by commentators or pundits that you might not be accustomed to hearing if not a regular to the sport.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Where this dish really lacks is in the flavor department, which was just pretty underwhelming.—
Jayna Bardahl,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
What a dietitian really recommends When thinking about how to advise clients, Mokari is very aware that what works for someone’s health and lifestyle is going to be individual to them.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Early in Biden’s presidency, this same measure of intensity was around 50%.—
Craig Gilbert,
jsonline.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
In 1981, Memphis musician Tav Falco adopted that same phrase for the title of his debut album with the Panther Burns, one of the weirdest, wildest support groups in rock history.—
Stephen M. Deusner,
Pitchfork,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Much like Hawkins and Nolte, the mere presence of Leigh increases the quality of any movie by 33 percent.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Beyond mere biology or even emotions, some philosophers and psychologists contend that love is also a practice.—
Tucker J. Gregor,
The Conversation,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The singer slowly made his way down the stage, stopping by La Casita, popularized during the singer’s recent world tour, and even witnessed a couple’s real wedding.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
His only real path to election is as the Sandy Koufax of the 21st century.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Feltner’s routine was pretty simple.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Crime 101 takes the same view of quid pro quo as the most basic form of American commerce and makes simple but brutal points about value and self-worth, where your car, its year, make and model, matters more than your resumé.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
That’s incredibly moving to me, when people can internally start seeing the other person’s point of view.—
Daisy Jones,
Vogue,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Next, Stewart moved on to the Winter Olympics and the right-wing meltdown over freestyle skier Hunter Hess’ incredibly mild comments during a press conference.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
However, the ability to choose an educational environment that truly fits our child has not only improved their academic performance, but also their overall happiness and outlook on life.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Think your devices and data are truly protected?—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Very.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/very. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
