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.
It is exceedingly unlikely that any New Yorkers are opening up accounts at a regional bank in Texas.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
The ultimate replacement rate of 36.6% is higher than the original rate for early retirees, and reduced from the exceedingly high rates that emerged from an error in the indexation of benefits in the 1970s.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
They also make it exceedingly difficult for pro se petitioners filing on their own behalf to strategize the best approach and avoid being procedurally barred.
From Slate • May 29, 2026
“Paz inherited a profound economic crisis and has raised expectations that are exceedingly difficult to meet.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
She was exceedingly fond of Telemachus, not only because he was her dear Odysseus’ son, but because he was a sober, discreet young man, steady and prudent and dependable.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
