very
Americanadverb
-
in a high degree; extremely; exceedingly.
A giant is very tall.
-
(used as an intensive emphasizing superlatives or stressing identity or oppositeness).
the very best thing; in the very same place as before.
adjective
-
precise; particular.
That is the very item we want.
-
mere.
The very thought of it is distressing.
-
sheer; utter.
He wept from the very joy of knowing he was safe.
-
actual.
He was caught in the very act of stealing.
-
being such in the true or fullest sense of the term; extreme.
the very heart of the matter.
-
true; genuine; worthy of being called such.
the very God; a very fool.
-
rightful or legitimate.
adverb
adjective
-
(intensifier) used with nouns preceded by a definite article or possessive determiner, in order to give emphasis to the significance, appropriateness or relevance of a noun in a particular context, or to give exaggerated intensity to certain nouns
the very man I want to see
his very name struck terror
the very back of the room
-
(intensifier) used in metaphors to emphasize the applicability of the image to the situation described
he was a very lion in the fight
-
archaic
-
real or true; genuine
the very living God
-
lawful
the very vengeance of the gods
-
Grammar
Past participles that have become established as adjectives can, like most English adjectives, be modified by the adverb very : a very driven person; We were very concerned for your safety. Very does not modify past participles that are clearly verbal; for example, The lid was very sealed is not an idiomatic construction, while The lid was very tightly sealed is. Sometimes confusion arises over whether a given past participle is adjectival and thus able to be modified by very without an intervening adverb. However, there is rarely any objection to the use of this intervening adverb, no matter how the past participle is functioning. Such use often occurs in edited writing: We were very much relieved to find the children asleep. They were very greatly excited by the news. I feel very badly cheated.
Usage
In strict usage adverbs of degree such as very, too, quite, really, and extremely are used only to qualify adjectives: he is very happy; she is too sad. By this rule, these words should not be used to qualify past participles that follow the verb to be, since they would then be technically qualifying verbs. With the exception of certain participles, such as tired or disappointed, that have come to be regarded as adjectives, all other past participles are qualified by adverbs such as much, greatly, seriously, or excessively: he has been much (not very ) inconvenienced; she has been excessively (not too ) criticized
Etymology
Origin of very
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French verai ( French vrai ), from Vulgar Latin vērācus (unrecorded) for Latin vērāx “truthful,” equivalent to vēr(us) “true” (cognate with Old English wǣr, German wahr “true, correct”) + -āx adjectival suffix
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.
Sax argues, “That desire fits this very base desire as humans, which is to touch things, to interact with things, to buy things, to do actual things outside of our screens.”
From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026
"Easter is a very special time of faith and family," energy minister Chris Bowen said on Saturday, adding: "Go take a break - but get no more fuel than you need".
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
A star with very few of these elements must have formed before most supernovae occurred, meaning it likely belongs to the earliest generations of stars in the universe.
From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2026
Clement “was fascinated by powerful businessmen,” Bartholomew added, and he “appears to have further believed that their very names are puns that reveal God’s purposes.”
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
How sad that the very first should have been the dearest of all.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
