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.
Hall led the party through the exceedingly challenging times of the Cold War era, the aftermath of McCarthyism, and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union.
From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026
It falls to Wilson’s exceedingly average Joe to save a world too stupid to save itself.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
The Justice Department argued that the training of AI models on written works is "exceedingly transformative," allowing it to benefit from the exception.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
The coming winter will likely be exceedingly tough.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
“Now find me a room at once. I have had an exceedingly long day.”
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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.
