Don't Use "Very"

Elevate your writing with precise, powerful alternatives

Why Avoid "Very"?

The word "very" is often a crutch in writingβ€”a sign that you've chosen a weaker word that needs propping up. As William Zinsser advised in "On Writing Well": "Most adverbs are unnecessary. The good writer avoids them and finds the precise verb or adjective instead."

When you rely on "very" to intensify an adjective, you're missing an opportunity to use a single, stronger, and more specific word. Replacing "very cold" with "freezing" or "very happy" with "ecstatic" makes your writing more vivid, concise, and engaging.

Browse our comprehensive A-Z list below to find better alternatives, or use the search function to quickly find the perfect word for your needs.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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A

Very accurate β†’ Exact

Very afraid β†’ Fearful

Very angry β†’ Furious

Very annoying β†’ Exasperating

Very anxious β†’ Apprehensive

Very attractive β†’ Stunning

B

Very bad β†’ Atrocious

Very beautiful β†’ Exquisite

Very big β†’ Immense

Very boring β†’ Dull

Very bright β†’ Luminous

Very brave β†’ Courageous

Very brief β†’ Momentary

Very busy β†’ Swamped

C

Very calm β†’ Serene

Very careful β†’ Cautious

Very cheap β†’ Stingy

Very clean β†’ Spotless

Very clear β†’ Obvious

Very clever β†’ Intelligent

Very cold β†’ Freezing

Very colorful β†’ Vibrant

Very competitive β†’ Cutthroat

Very complete β†’ Comprehensive

Very confused β†’ Perplexed

Very conventional β†’ Conservative

Very creative β†’ Innovative

Very critical β†’ Scathing

Very crowded β†’ Bustling

Very curious β†’ Inquisitive

Very cute β†’ Adorable

D

Very dangerous β†’ Perilous

Very dark β†’ Murky

Very dear β†’ Cherished

Very deep β†’ Profound

Very delicate β†’ Fragile

Very depressed β†’ Despondent

Very detailed β†’ Meticulous

Very determined β†’ Resolute

Very different β†’ Disparate

Very difficult β†’ Arduous

Very dirty β†’ Filthy

Very discouraged β†’ Disheartened

Very dry β†’ Arid

Very dull β†’ Tedious

E

Very eager β†’ Keen

Very early β†’ Premature

Very easy β†’ Effortless

Very emotional β†’ Passionate

Very empty β†’ Desolate

Very energetic β†’ Vigorous

Very enthusiastic β†’ Zealous

Very excited β†’ Thrilled

Very exciting β†’ Exhilarating

Very expensive β†’ Costly

Very experienced β†’ Seasoned

F

Very famous β†’ Renowned

Very fancy β†’ Lavish

Very far β†’ Remote

Very fast β†’ Swift

Very fat β†’ Obese

Very fertile β†’ Prolific

Very few β†’ Scant

Very fierce β†’ Ferocious

Very firm β†’ Steadfast

Very flexible β†’ Adaptable

Very foolish β†’ Ludicrous

Very friendly β†’ Amiable

Very frightened β†’ Alarmed

Very frightening β†’ Terrifying

Very funny β†’ Hilarious

G

Very gentle β†’ Tender

Very glad β†’ Delighted

Very good β†’ Excellent

Very grateful β†’ Indebted

Very great β†’ Magnificent

Very greedy β†’ Rapacious

Very green β†’ Verdant

H

Very happy β†’ Ecstatic

Very hard β†’ Arduous

Very harmful β†’ Destructive

Very healthy β†’ Robust

Very heavy β†’ Massive

Very helpful β†’ Invaluable

Very high β†’ Towering

Very hot β†’ Scorching

Very hungry β†’ Ravenous

Very hurt β†’ Devastated

I

Very important β†’ Crucial

Very impressive β†’ Remarkable

Very independent β†’ Autonomous

Very influential β†’ Compelling

Very informed β†’ Knowledgeable

Very intelligent β†’ Brilliant

Very interested β†’ Engrossed

Very interesting β†’ Captivating

Very irritating β†’ Infuriating

J

Very jealous β†’ Envious

Very joyful β†’ Jubilant

Very jumpy β†’ Skittish

K

Very kind β†’ Compassionate

Very knowledgeable β†’ Erudite

L

Very large β†’ Enormous

Very late β†’ Tardy

Very lazy β†’ Indolent

Very little β†’ Minuscule

Very lively β†’ Exuberant

Very lonely β†’ Desolate

Very long β†’ Extensive

Very loud β†’ Deafening

Very loving β†’ Affectionate

Very low β†’ Minimal

Very loyal β†’ Devoted

Very lucky β†’ Fortunate

M

Very mad β†’ Furious

Very magnificent β†’ Majestic

Very mean β†’ Malicious

Very messy β†’ Chaotic

Very methodical β†’ Systematic

Very modern β†’ Cutting-edge

Very modest β†’ Humble

Very moist β†’ Saturated

Very moody β†’ Temperamental

Very motivated β†’ Driven

Very mysterious β†’ Enigmatic

N

Very narrow β†’ Constricted

Very nasty β†’ Vile

Very natural β†’ Organic

Very near β†’ Adjacent

Very neat β†’ Immaculate

Very necessary β†’ Essential

Very nervous β†’ Anxious

Very new β†’ Fresh

Very nice β†’ Pleasant

Very noisy β†’ Deafening

Very numerous β†’ Abundant

O

Very obedient β†’ Dutiful

Very obvious β†’ Apparent

Very odd β†’ Peculiar

Very offended β†’ Insulted

Very often β†’ Frequently

Very old β†’ Ancient

Very open β†’ Candid

Very optimistic β†’ Hopeful

Very organized β†’ Methodical

Very original β†’ Innovative

P

Very painful β†’ Excruciating

Very pale β†’ Ashen

Very patient β†’ Stoic

Very peaceful β†’ Tranquil

Very perfect β†’ Flawless

Very persistent β†’ Relentless

Very plain β†’ Austere

Very pleasant β†’ Delightful

Very polite β†’ Courteous

Very poor β†’ Destitute

Very popular β†’ Acclaimed

Very powerful β†’ Mighty

Very precise β†’ Meticulous

Very pretty β†’ Gorgeous

Very proud β†’ Arrogant

Very public β†’ Notorious

Very pure β†’ Pristine

Q

Very qualified β†’ Proficient

Very quick β†’ Rapid

Very quiet β†’ Silent

R

Very rare β†’ Scarce

Very reasonable β†’ Judicious

Very recent β†’ Fresh

Very relaxed β†’ Tranquil

Very reliable β†’ Dependable

Very remarkable β†’ Extraordinary

Very responsible β†’ Accountable

Very rich β†’ Affluent

Very rigid β†’ Inflexible

Very risky β†’ Hazardous

Very rough β†’ Rugged

Very rude β†’ Offensive

S

Very sad β†’ Depressed

Very safe β†’ Secure

Very salty β†’ Briny

Very satisfied β†’ Gratified

Very scary β†’ Terrifying

Very secretive β†’ Furtive

Very serious β†’ Grave

Very sharp β†’ Acute

Very shiny β†’ Gleaming

Very short β†’ Brief

Very shy β†’ Timid

Very sick β†’ Ill

Very silent β†’ Mute

Very silly β†’ Absurd

Very simple β†’ Basic

Very skilled β†’ Adept

Very sleepy β†’ Drowsy

Very slim β†’ Slender

Very slow β†’ Sluggish

Very small β†’ Tiny

Very smart β†’ Brilliant

Very smooth β†’ Sleek

Very soft β†’ Supple

Very soon β†’ Imminent

Very sour β†’ Acidic

Very special β†’ Exceptional

Very specific β†’ Explicit

Very spicy β†’ Piquant

Very steep β†’ Precipitous

Very strange β†’ Bizarre

Very strict β†’ Rigid

Very strong β†’ Powerful

Very stubborn β†’ Obstinate

Very stupid β†’ Idiotic

Very substantial β†’ Significant

Very successful β†’ Triumphant

Very sudden β†’ Abrupt

Very sweet β†’ Sugary

T

Very talented β†’ Gifted

Very tall β†’ Towering

Very tame β†’ Docile

Very tasty β†’ Delectable

Very tempting β†’ Enticing

Very tense β†’ Strained

Very terrible β†’ Dreadful

Very thankful β†’ Grateful

Very thick β†’ Dense

Very thin β†’ Gaunt

Very thirsty β†’ Parched

Very thorough β†’ Comprehensive

Very thoughtful β†’ Considerate

Very tiny β†’ Minuscule

Very tired β†’ Exhausted

Very tolerant β†’ Lenient

Very tough β†’ Sturdy

Very traditional β†’ Conventional

Very tricky β†’ Deceptive

Very true β†’ Authentic

Very trustworthy β†’ Reliable

U

Very ugly β†’ Hideous

Very uncertain β†’ Dubious

Very uncomfortable β†’ Uneasy

Very uncommon β†’ Rare

Very understanding β†’ Empathetic

Very unfair β†’ Unjust

Very unhappy β†’ Miserable

Very unique β†’ Distinctive

Very unlikely β†’ Improbable

Very unpleasant β†’ Disagreeable

Very upset β†’ Distraught

Very urgent β†’ Critical

Very useful β†’ Invaluable

Very unusual β†’ Extraordinary

V

Very vague β†’ Ambiguous

Very valuable β†’ Precious

Very vast β†’ Immense

Very vengeful β†’ Vindictive

Very vibrant β†’ Electric

Very vicious β†’ Savage

Very violent β†’ Brutal

Very vivid β†’ Intense

Very vocal β†’ Outspoken

Very vulnerable β†’ Defenseless

W

Very warm β†’ Toasty

Very wary β†’ Suspicious

Very weak β†’ Feeble

Very wealthy β†’ Affluent

Very weary β†’ Exhausted

Very welcome β†’ Appreciated

Very wet β†’ Saturated

Very wicked β†’ Villainous

Very wide β†’ Expansive

Very wild β†’ Feral

Very willing β†’ Eager

Very windy β†’ Blustery

Very wise β†’ Sagacious

Very worried β†’ Anxious

Very worthless β†’ Useless

Very worthy β†’ Deserving

X

Very xenophobic β†’ Intolerant

Y

Very young β†’ Juvenile

Very youthful β†’ Adolescent

Z

Very zealous β†’ Fanatical

Very zesty β†’ Piquant