extremely
Americanadverb
adverb
-
to the extreme; exceedingly
-
(intensifier)
I behaved extremely badly
Usage
What does extremely mean? Extremely means to a very great degree—exceedingly. Instead of saying I’m very very tired, you could say I’m extremely tired. Extremely is the adverb form of the adjective extreme, which means of the highest degree or intensity. Extremely is almost always used to modify (describe) adjectives and almost never verbs. It emphasizes or intensifies the meaning of the adjective and indicates that its level is far beyond the ordinary. Example: At some times during the winter, it gets so extremely cold here that it’s dangerous to go outside for more than a minute.
Etymology
Origin of extremely
Explanation
Extremely is a word that emphasizes the intensity of whatever it is you're talking about. If you say you're extremely angry, that word alone tells me I better not mess with you. Extremely comes from the word extreme, which means great, severe, or exceptional. If you climb to extreme heights on a mountain, you've climbed extremely high. Use extremely to let people know that what you're talking about exceeds or goes beyond the norm. A joke that's not just funny, but extremely funny, is one that might have you gasping to catch your breath from laughing so hard.
Vocabulary lists containing extremely
List 3
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List 2
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ly
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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.
"We found bee species with the highest heat tolerance were not necessarily the safest from warming, because many of them already live in extremely hot environments."
From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2026
Over the past year, Russian hackers have stolen Microsoft 365 credentials from victims as part of a sneaky and extremely hard-to-stop technique that involves bogus Microsoft Teams meetings, Volexity said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
Before the 1970s, courts were extremely skeptical of the uneven bargaining power and information between the government and defendant, and voided plea bargains, if they even had to consider them at all.
From Slate • Jun. 18, 2026
Sometimes, being part of a community can be an extremely isolating, lonely experience.
From Salon • Jun. 18, 2026
In the end the cub let him sleep; and next Light, Tall Tailless got up after a stupidly long sleep, in an extremely bad mood.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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.
