1
: to a high degree : exceedingly
very hot
didn't hurt very much
2
: in actual fact : truly
the very best store in town
told the very same story
verier; veriest
1
2
a
: unqualified, sheer
the very shame of it
3
—used as an intensive especially to emphasize identity
before my very eyes
5
: being the same one : selfsame
the very man I saw
6
: special, particular
the very essence of truth is plainness and brightness—
John Milton
John MiltonExamples of very in a Sentence
Adverb
that was a very brave thing to do
the very same thing happened to me
Adjective
we stayed in the very hotel my parents stayed in for their honeymoon
the very thought of having to go through that again is scary
Recent Examples on the Web
Gentry Estes, The Tennessean, 26 July 2025
And notably Melvin Capital, which had a very large short position against GameStop, lost billions of dollars and closed because of this trade.
—Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 26 July 2025
EW.com, 26 July 2025
Large, complex, thousand-page bills often hide provisions that aren't just wasteful, but dangerous to the very foundation of our republic.
—Kevin Sabet, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for very
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Adverb
Pregame pyrotechnics at Nissan Stadium ignited a brief – but very noticeable – fire next to the sideline near one of the end zones.
—Gentry Estes, The Tennessean, 26 July 2025
And notably Melvin Capital, which had a very large short position against GameStop, lost billions of dollars and closed because of this trade.
—Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 26 July 2025
Adjective
After screening a new Gen V season 2 trailer packed with The Boys crossovers and some new casting, Amazon's Comic-Con panel in Ballroom 20 on Friday afternoon left one major reveal for the very end: the first teaser trailer for the fifth and final season of the mothership series.
—EW.com, 26 July 2025
Large, complex, thousand-page bills often hide provisions that aren't just wasteful, but dangerous to the very foundation of our republic.
—Kevin Sabet, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for very
Cite this Entry
“Very.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/very. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
very
1 of 2 adjective
verier; veriest
1
: being actual or real
2
a
: exact entry 2 sense 1, precise
the very heart of the city
b
: exactly suitable or necessary
the very thing for the purpose
3
: mere entry 2, bare
the very thought terrified them
4
: exactly the same
the very one I saw yesterday
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