# incredibly

/ˌɪnˈkɹɛdəbɫi/ (US) · /ɪnkɹˈɛdɪbli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/incredibly
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. extremely

adverb · CEFR B1

to a very high degree; extremely.

For teachers: used as an intensifier to indicate an extreme degree of a quality.

- The exam was incredibly difficult, but she managed to pass it.
- The research team found the data incredibly useful for predicting long-term climate shifts in the region.

Usage: usually placed before an adjective or another adverb.

### 2. surprisingly

adverb · CEFR B2

used to say that something is hard to believe, even though it is true.

For teachers: used as a sentence modifier to express that the following statement is surprising or difficult to believe.

- Incredibly, no one was hurt when the old tree fell on the house.
- Incredibly, the small startup managed to outperform its multinational competitors within the first fiscal year.

Usage: often placed at the beginning of a sentence to modify the entire clause.

### 3. in an unbelievable way

adverb · CEFR C1 · Formal

in a way that is impossible or very hard to believe.

For teachers: in a manner that defies belief or credibility.

- He spoke incredibly about his adventures, making everyone doubt his story.
- The witness described the events so incredibly that the jury struggled to accept his testimony as factual.

Usage: functions as an adverb of manner describing how an action is performed.

## Examples

- The movie was incredibly long but very exciting.
- The rescue team worked incredibly hard to reach the stranded hikers before the storm arrived.
- The architect designed an incredibly complex structure that managed to appear weightless despite the massive steel beams required to support the cantilevered roof.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.