Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for extremely

extremely

[ ik-streem-lee ]

adverb

  1. in an extreme degree; exceedingly:

    extremely cold.



extremely

/ ɪkˈstriːmlɪ /

adverb

  1. to the extreme; exceedingly
  2. (intensifier)

    I behaved extremely badly

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Usage

See very
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of extremely1

First recorded in 1525–35; extreme + -ly
Discover More

Example Sentences

“That is the mutation found in the first human case, which was extremely pathogenic in ferrets,” said Yoshihiro Kawaoka, an infectious disease expert at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and the University of Tokyo.

Moreover, the vast majority of economists are also extremely sceptical about the likelihood of tariffs achieving many of these goals.

From BBC

Mr Pirotte said he was "not concerned that a university is going to fall over in the near future" despite "extremely challenging" circumstances.

From BBC

"I'm extremely proud of it. I put my soul into it and I'm still hurting from making it," Mo says.

From BBC

"The bottom line is that if we enter a recession, it will be extremely difficult for the AI trade to continue," he said.

From BBC

Advertisement

Discover More

More About Extremely

What does extremely mean?

Extremely means to a very great degree—exceedingly. Instead of saying I’m very very tired, you could say I’m extremely tired. 

Extremely is the adverb form of the adjective extreme, which means of the highest degree or intensity. Extremely is almost always used to modify (describe) adjectives and almost never verbs. It emphasizes or intensifies the meaning of the adjective and indicates that its level is far beyond the ordinary.

Example: At some times during the winter, it gets so extremely cold here that it’s dangerous to go outside for more than a minute.

Where does extremely come from?

The first records of extremely come from the 1500s. It’s a combination of the adjective extreme and the suffix -ly, which is used to form adverbs. Extreme comes from the Latin extrēmus, meaning “outermost,” from exterus, “on the outside.” The same root is the basis of the word exterior.

Modifying an adjective with extremely is done to emphasize that it’s really out there—far beyond the range of normal. Extremely is usually used as an intensifier, meaning that it’s used to increase the degree of the adjective that’s being used to describe something. It’s commonly used to emphasize how someone is feeling, whether it’s cold, busy, hungry, sorry, upset, tired, angry, disturbed, or anything else—adding extremely means the feeling is intense. Even if such a statement is an exaggeration, extremely is still being used for emphasis, in exactly the same way that very is used, especially when you say very very.

Extremely can be used with all kinds of adjectives, except perhaps ones that can’t get any more extreme. For example, you wouldn’t say a road is extremely paved.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of extremely?

What are some synonyms for extremely?

What are some words that share a root or word element with extremely

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing extremely?

 

How is extremely used in real life?

Extremely is often used to emphasize how strong an emotion or feeling is, or to exaggerate something to draw attention to it.

 

 

Try using extremely!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of extremely?

A. immensely
B. remarkably
C. exceedingly
D. moderately

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


extreme heat eventextremely high frequency