very
Americanadverb
-
in a high degree; extremely; exceedingly.
A giant is very tall.
-
(used as an intensive emphasizing superlatives or stressing identity or oppositeness).
the very best thing; in the very same place as before.
adjective
-
precise; particular.
That is the very item we want.
-
mere.
The very thought of it is distressing.
-
sheer; utter.
He wept from the very joy of knowing he was safe.
-
actual.
He was caught in the very act of stealing.
-
being such in the true or fullest sense of the term; extreme.
the very heart of the matter.
-
true; genuine; worthy of being called such.
the very God; a very fool.
-
rightful or legitimate.
adverb
adjective
-
(intensifier) used with nouns preceded by a definite article or possessive determiner, in order to give emphasis to the significance, appropriateness or relevance of a noun in a particular context, or to give exaggerated intensity to certain nouns
the very man I want to see
his very name struck terror
the very back of the room
-
(intensifier) used in metaphors to emphasize the applicability of the image to the situation described
he was a very lion in the fight
-
archaic
-
real or true; genuine
the very living God
-
lawful
the very vengeance of the gods
-
Grammar
Past participles that have become established as adjectives can, like most English adjectives, be modified by the adverb very : a very driven person; We were very concerned for your safety. Very does not modify past participles that are clearly verbal; for example, The lid was very sealed is not an idiomatic construction, while The lid was very tightly sealed is. Sometimes confusion arises over whether a given past participle is adjectival and thus able to be modified by very without an intervening adverb. However, there is rarely any objection to the use of this intervening adverb, no matter how the past participle is functioning. Such use often occurs in edited writing: We were very much relieved to find the children asleep. They were very greatly excited by the news. I feel very badly cheated.
Usage
In strict usage adverbs of degree such as very, too, quite, really, and extremely are used only to qualify adjectives: he is very happy; she is too sad. By this rule, these words should not be used to qualify past participles that follow the verb to be, since they would then be technically qualifying verbs. With the exception of certain participles, such as tired or disappointed, that have come to be regarded as adjectives, all other past participles are qualified by adverbs such as much, greatly, seriously, or excessively: he has been much (not very ) inconvenienced; she has been excessively (not too ) criticized
Etymology
Origin of very
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French verai ( French vrai ), from Vulgar Latin vērācus (unrecorded) for Latin vērāx “truthful,” equivalent to vēr(us) “true” (cognate with Old English wǣr, German wahr “true, correct”) + -āx adjectival suffix
Explanation
The word very is an intensifier, suggesting a high degree of a quality. Something great is very good. This word adds intensity to statements and means something close to really or extremely. If you are tired, you might have some coffee. If you are very tired, you might need a nap. An 80 degree day is hot, but a 90 degree day is very hot. This word also means exact, as in "On this very day, I was born" or "That's the very book you were talking about."
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.
Very outspoken compared to other Silicon Valley bosses, Signal's president is Meredith Whittaker, who spent years working for Google and is a fierce critic of business models built on the extraction of personal data.
From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026
Very often, my work has been associated with velocity and acceleration of art—more shows, more biennials.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
Very concerned, having an ideological view on relationships.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
Very few do the right thing when it may cost them everything.
From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026
It’s likely that he had another name prior to coming up to the Very, Very Far North, but Squint is the name Duane gave him, so Squint he will be.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
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.
