Professional words for “very”
Often, the best replacement for "very X" is a stronger single word.
Mark Twain: "Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very’; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be." The deeper lesson: "very tired" is "exhausted"; "very important" is "critical." Upgrade the adjective, drop the intensifier.
- 01Highly neutral
with capable/skilled/regarded
Highly regarded across the field.
- 02Extremely neutral
when genuinely at the extreme
Extremely rare across our cohorts.
- 03Exceptionally formal
beyond the norm
Exceptionally strong quarterly figures.
- 04Remarkably formal
worth remarking on
Remarkably consistent week over week.
- 05Distinctly formal
clearly set apart
Distinctly different from the prior design.
Prefer a strong adjective over "very + weak adjective." "Very big" → "substantial." "Very small" → "negligible." "Very good" → "excellent."