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• so
  so

  adverb

  in the way or manner indicated, described, or implied.
• SO
  SO

  abbreviation

  significant other. Also S.O.
• So.
  So.

  abbreviation

  South.
• s.o.
  s.o.

  abbreviation

  seller's option.
• S.O.
  S.O.

  abbreviation

  Signal Officer.

so

¹ American  

[soh] / soʊ /

adverb

1. in the way or manner indicated, described, or implied.

   Do it so.

2. in that or this manner or fashion; thus.

   So it turned out.

3. in the aforesaid state or condition.

   It is broken and has long been so.

4. to the extent or degree indicated or suggested.

   Do not walk so fast.

5. Informal. very or extremely.

   I'm so sad.

6. Informal. (used with the word "not" or in a generally negative statement to emphasize an adjective, noun phrase, or clause) really; surely.

   That is so not funny!

   My mom is so going to kill me!

7. very greatly.

   My head aches so!

8. (used before an adverb or an adverbial clause and followed byas ) to such a degree or extent.

   so far as I know.

9. having the purpose of.

   a speech so commemorating the victory.

10. for this or that reason; hence; therefore.

    She is ill, and so cannot come to the party.

11. (used as an affirmative to emphasize or confirm a previous statement) most certainly.

    I said I would come, and so I will.

12. (used as an emphatic affirmative to contradict a previous statement) indeed; truly; too.

    I was so at the party!

13. likewise or correspondingly; also; too.

    If he is going, then so am I.

14. in such manner as to follow or result from.

    As he learned, so did he teach.

15. in the way that follows; in this way.

    The audience was seated, and so the famous speech began.

16. in the way that precedes; in that way.

    So ended the speech, and the listeners arose and cheered.

17. in such way as to end in.

    So live your life that old age will bring you no regrets.

18. then; subsequently.

    and so to bed.

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conjunction

1. in order that (often followed bythat ).

   Check carefully, so any mistakes will be caught.

2. with the result that (often followed bythat ).

   He checked carefully, so that the mistakes were caught.

3. on the condition that; if.

pronoun

1. such as has been stated.

   to be good and stay so.

2. something that is about or near the persons or things in question, as in number or amount.

   Of the original twelve, five or so remain.

interjection

1. (used as an exclamation of surprise, shock, discovery, inquiry, indifference, etc., according to the manner of utterance.)

adjective

1. true as stated or reported; conforming with reality or the fact.

   Say it isn't so.

idioms

1. so as,

   1. with the result or purpose.

      to turn up the volume of the radio so as to drown out the noise from the next apartment.

   2. Older Use. provided that.

      I like any flower, just so as it's real.

2. only / just so many, being a limited or small number or amount.

   I can eat only so many pieces of fruit.

3. not so much, not.

4. so what? what.

5. only / just so much, being a limited amount or quantity; up to a certain point or maximum.

   I can eat only so much fruit; just so much that one can do in such a case.

6. so much,

   1. something, as an amount or cost, that is not specified or determined.

      The carpeting is priced at so much per yard.

   2. all that is or needs to be said or done.

      So much for the preliminaries, let's get down to the real issues.

7. so much as, even.

   He doesn't so much as say hello to me.

8. so to speak. speak.

so ² American  

[soh] / soʊ /

noun

Music.

1. sol.

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SO ³ American  

abbreviation

1. significant other. Also S.O.

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So. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. South.

2. Southern.

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s.o. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. seller's option.

2. shipping order.

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S.O. ⁶ American  

abbreviation

1. Signal Officer.

2. significant other. Also SO

3. Special Order.

4. Standing Order.

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so ¹ British  

/ səʊ /

adverb

1. (foll by an adjective or adverb and a correlative clause often introduced by that) to such an extent

   the river is so dirty that it smells

2. (used with a negative; it replaces the first as in an equative comparison) to the same extent as

   she is not so old as you

3. (intensifier)

   it's so lovely

   I love you so

4. in the state or manner expressed or implied

   they're happy and will remain so

5. (not used with a negative; foll by an auxiliary verb or do, have, or be used as main verbs) also; likewise

   I can speak Spanish and so can you

6. informal indeed: used to contradict a negative statement

   You didn't tell the truth. I did so!

7. archaic provided that

8. and continuing similarly

9. See just

10. approximately

    fifty or so people came to see me

11. I agree; exactly

12. used to express agreement or resignation

13. 1. a certain degree or amount (of)

    2. a lot (of)

       it's just so much nonsense

14. 1. no more can or need be said about

    2. used to express contempt for something that has failed

       so much for your bright idea

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conjunction

1. in order (that)

   to die so that you might live

2. with the consequence (that)

   he was late home, so that there was trouble

3. (takes an infinitive) in order (to)

   to slim so as to lose weight

1. in consequence; hence

   she wasn't needed, so she left

2. used to introduce a sentence expressing resignation, amazement, or sarcasm

   so you're publishing a book!

3. thereupon; and then

   and so we ended up in France

4. used to introduce a sentence or clause to add emphasis

   he's crazy, so he is

5. informal what importance does that have?

pronoun

1. used to substitute for a clause or sentence, which may be understood

   you'll stop because I said so

adjective

1. factual; true

   it can't be so

interjection

1. an exclamation of agreement, surprise, etc

SO ² British  

abbreviation

1. Somalia (international car registration)

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S.O. ³ British  

abbreviation

1. strike out

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so ⁴ British  

/ səʊ /

noun

1. music a variant spelling of soh

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so ⁵ British  

abbreviation

1. Somalia

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so More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing so

• I told you so
• and so forth (and so on)
• as (so) far as
• as (so) far as possible
• as (so) far as that goes
• as (so) long as
• as (so) much as
• even so
• every now and then (so often)
• go so far as to
• how come (so)
• in so many words
• is that a fact (so)
• just so
• never had it so good
• not (so) bad
• on one's say-so
• or so
• take it (just so much)
• without so much as

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Usage

The intensive so meaning “very or extremely” ( Everything's so expensive these days ) occurs chiefly in informal speech. In writing and formal speech, intensive so is most often followed by a completing that clause: Everything is so expensive that some families must struggle just to survive. The conjunction so (often followed by that ) introduces clauses both of purpose ( We ordered our tickets early so that we could get good seats ) and of result ( The river had frozen during the night so people walked across it all the next day ). In formal speech and writing, so that is somewhat more common than so in clauses of purpose. Otherwise, either so or so that is standard. Like and, but1 , and or, so can occur as a transitional word at the beginning of a sentence: So all our hard work finally brought results. See also as ¹, and, but ¹.

In formal English, so is not used as a conjunction, to indicate either purpose ( he left by a back door so he could avoid photographers ) or result ( the project was abandoned so his services were no longer needed ). In the former case to or in order to should be used instead, and in the latter case and so or and therefore would be more acceptable. The expression so therefore should not be used

Synonym Usage

See therefore.

Etymology

Origin of so

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English swā; cognate with Dutch zoo, German so, Gothic swa

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

so SO So. s.o. S.O.

“And obviously it’s a young, hungry team out there. Came out last night swinging the bats, so it’d be nice to put up a zero, get a lead, and go from there.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

He says he wants to go to the UK so he can work and obtain legal papers.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

"I feel desperate, it's been so many days," he said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

“But also, that didn’t really come from the board, so I’m of two minds on that right now… just expressing some discomfort.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

Caesar’s words are so soft, I almost mistake them for a breeze.

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

“I have visions of older gentlemen going out at night and doing it in balaclavas and golf jumpers,” said Susan Oliver, who runs SO & Co., a fashion accessories and gift store in town.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

It will also introduce new fashion and hair-accessories lines under its SO private-label brand, which is geared toward women and girls.

From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026

“OUCH. It’s almost painful to consider that these folks are SO bitter that they can’t ever laugh.”

From Salon ● May 20, 2026

“Thank you to our parents and everyone that made this day so magical! Ari Skye Murphy, you are SO loved already!!”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026

“You’re very welcome,” I say, and I turn to him and kiss him on the mouth, “but she wants to see that thing with Sandra Bullock, SO . . . “Say no more!

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

Times best sellers: “It. Goes. So. Fast.,” a memoir by Mary Louise Kelly, is a debut title on the hardcover nonfiction list.

From New York Times ● Apr. 23, 2023

It's like I'll do something during the show and then that night, I'll get in bed and she'll be like, "So. . . " and I'm like, "Oh, maybe I did something."

From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2020

So. . . do you think should there be consequences, senator?

From Washington Post ● May 16, 2017

Trustin Oliver; Downey; 6-3; 190; So.; starting to gain attention.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2016

“Hey, Lydia. So. I wrote this story. And you know writing and stuff. I wonder if you could read it for me and tell me what to do better.”

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner

L, Edge of the mantle not removed in the front part of the specimen. s.o.,

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 2 "Chicago, University of" to "Chiton" by Various

“I come from a family of big-time Jammeh supporters,” said Ansumana S.O.

From New York Times ● Aug. 31, 2019

Needless to say, bundling conversations of moving in with my S.O. and gender identity stuff was not a comfortable situation, and I regret not having a better way to space those conversations out.

From Slate ● Apr. 29, 2019

This his and hers pack is a great way to sneak in a gift for yourself while treating your S.O. this winter and the matching hearts print is seasonally fun.

From Golf Digest ● Feb. 8, 2019

My S.O. at the time traveled constantly for his job, often to Los Angeles.

From Time ● Sep. 20, 2014

The following extract is from A. Bywater’s Sheffield Dialect, 3rd ed, 1877; as quoted in S.O.

From English Dialects From the Eighth Century to the Present Day by Walter W. (Walter William) Skeat

Related Words

• apparently
• indeed
• quite
• then
• therefore
• thus
• too
• very
• well