# very

/ˈvɛɹi/ (US) · /vˈɛɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/very
Updated: 2026-06-15

## Senses

### 1. to a high degree

adverb · CEFR A1

you use this to make an adjective or adverb stronger.

For teachers: an intensifier used to increase the degree or force of an adjective or another adverb.

- The tea is very hot, so please be careful not to burn yourself.
- The results of the clinical trial were very encouraging, suggesting that the new treatment could significantly reduce recovery times for most patients.

### 2. exact or particular

adjective · CEFR B1

used to emphasize that you are talking about a specific person, thing, or place.

For teachers: used as an emphatic determiner to specify a particular person or thing; often indicates the exactness of a location or identity.

- That is the very house where my grandfather was born eighty years ago.
- At that very moment, the sirens began to wail, confirming our suspicions that the drill had finally commenced.

Usage: Always placed before the noun it modifies.

### 3. extreme or furthest

adjective · CEFR B2

used to emphasize the extreme end or limit of something.

For teachers: used to emphasize the extreme nature or the furthest point of a physical or temporal limit.

- We walked to the very end of the pier to watch the boats.
- The hikers reached the very edge of the cliff before realizing the trail had been washed away by the previous night's storm.

### 4. mere or simple

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

used to show that even a small or simple thing is enough to cause a reaction.

For teachers: used to emphasize that the mere mention or existence of something is sufficient to produce an effect.

- The very thought of public speaking makes him feel nervous.
- The very existence of such a document was enough to spark a diplomatic crisis between the two neighboring nations.

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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.