eminently
Americanadverb
adverb
Usage
What does eminently mean? Eminently means highly or very. It’s an adverb that’s typically used to modify (describe) adjectives, especially positive ones, as in She is eminently qualified. Example: These versions are eminently better than the ones that were presented to us previously.
Etymology
Origin of eminently
First recorded in 1620–30; eminent ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
Use the word eminently to emphasize a positive quality. You could describe your favorite book as eminently readable or a terrific young musician as eminently talented. The adverb eminently is now a fancy way to say "very," but it started out meaning "conspicuously" or "up in a high place," from a Latin root meaning "be prominent." You once might have described a castle on a tall hill as eminently located. Today you're more likely to use the word in a formal context, to stress a positive adjective: "She is an eminently skilled dog trainer."
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 eminently sane Mr. Smith understands the need to shorten such timelines to better deter China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
“Kevin Warsh’s academic credentials, private sector success, and prior experience on the Fed Board of Governors make him eminently qualified to serve as the next Fed Chairman,” White House spokesman Kush Desai told Barron’s.
From Barron's ● Mar. 14, 2026
They face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final and have an eminently winnable FA Cup fifth round tie at League One side Mansfield Town.
From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2026
“That location is Salieri’s increasingly addled brain and what happens within that brain strikes me as eminently contemporary.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026
Delays at the fixed lines were foreseeable and eminently preventable.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
