profoundly

American

[pruh-found-lee, proh‐] / prəˈfaʊnd li, proʊ‐ /

adverb

to a thorough or very great extent or degree; deeply.

Her songs range from light and humorous to profoundly moving.
The program provides creative opportunities for profoundly disabled people with severe or complex learning and communication needs.

Other Word Forms

unprofoundly adverb

Etymology

Origin of profoundly

profound ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

If you’re profoundly moved by the last chapter of that novel you’re reading, then you’re extremely moved — you feel it deep in your soul. The adverb profoundly means something similar to “extremely,” with the additional sense that it’s something intense and deeply felt. If you’re profoundly confused, you’re very confused — confused in a way that seems bottomless. The word can also describe something that affects you greatly. If you’re profoundly influenced by the works of Shakespeare, that means his writing shaped the whole way you think about writing, whether you're working on plays, limericks, love letters.

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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.

But honestly, in another decade or so, we might feel profoundly different and start wondering why we didn’t try these crazy-sounding methods a lot sooner.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

It’s frank, intimate, poetic in its elisions and profoundly haunting in its effect.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

The discovery by the Caltech scientist, Haagy, profoundly altered the future of public health, of California, of cars, and of L.A.’s self-image and identity.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

"She will be deeply loved. And profoundly missed."

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

In the country inhabited by the Ka’apor, on the mainland southeast of Marajo, centuries of tinkering have profoundly changed the forest community.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023