exceedingly
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of exceedingly
Explanation
Use the adverb exceedingly to mean "very." You might brag, for example, that you did exceedingly well on the big math test last week. Exceedingly means "to a very large degree," so it's best to save it for things that really need to be emphasized. You might be exceedingly angry at your little sister after she borrowed your favorite sweater and spilled ketchup on it, or exceedingly happy to have gotten into your first choice college. Exceedingly has a Latin root, excedere, "depart, go beyond, be in excess, or surpass."
Vocabulary lists containing exceedingly
"Common Sense," Vocabulary from the pamphlet
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A Rover's Story
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"The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The fact that AI platforms are changing exceedingly fast only makes that question trickier—and more important.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
A batter reaching the big leagues before his 20th birthday is exceedingly rare.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
“We’re at the start of what will be an exceedingly dangerous period in terms of the Iranian nuclear program,” nuclear policy expert Scott Sagan, who co-directs Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation, said.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
It’s exceedingly rare for an artist to feel this free, doing what feels right in the moment and trusting his audience to come along with him.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
Delbriick was drawn out only by my remark that Francis was exceedingly bright.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
