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Synonyms

very thing, the

Idioms  
  1. Exactly what is needed or wanted, as in That hat's the very thing to complete the costume. This idiom, which uses very to denote exact identity, was first recorded in 1768.


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.

Snook was dealing with the kind of calculations that mothers have to make all the time, the very thing the show itself is addressing.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025

He had that very thing the FBI was trying to bring down.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 21, 2023

To love "Emily in Paris" would be to love the very thing the show tells us to hate.

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2022

Once you start looking for those links, you risk limiting the very thing the artists have sought to preserve: The individuality and sui generis expressive content of each work.

From Washington Post • Nov. 1, 2017

I had been considering that very thing, the thought of Christmas in prison being so depressing, but the memo pretty much torpedoed the idea.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

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