This is probably something everyone stumbles into when writing a story. I know I do, sometimes I overuse the word very(like a lot) and then I’m trying to find a website with every other word I could use instead of it, which takes a lot of time. So now when I’m getting back to trying to write frequently, I decided to put them all together. A little cheat sheet for you and of course for myself.
But
A couple of things first:
- There are no hard and fast rules and there is nothing wrong with using the word very. However, by using stronger adjectives you can create more powerful stories.
- Very is an intensifier and yet it can actually diminish meaning because it doesn’t provide enough information. For example; She walked very fast towards her friend, is less interesting than she rushed, or she charged towards her friend.
- While intensifiers like very and really are grammatically correct, an abundance of these can slow down your story.
Very Happy – ecstatic, delighted, overjoyed, thrilled, elated, jubilant, exhilarated, radiant, blissful, euphoric, content, joyful, rapturous, ecstatic, gleeful, merry, enthralled
Very Sad – unhappy, sorrowful, miserable, despondent, dejected, downcast, disheartened, crestfallen, heartbroken, forlorn, woeful, wretched, melancholy, blue, depressed, downhearted, glum, lugubrious, mournful
Very Tired – exhausted, fatigued, weary, drained, spent, worn out, run-down, sapped, dead tired, wiped out, bone-weary, enervated, frazzled, overtired, tuckered out.
Very Angry – irate, furious, enraged, livid, incensed, wrathful, incandescent, mad, indignant, incensed, irked, exasperated, annoyed, infuriated, agitated, provoked, cross, upset, seething, boiling
Very Important – significant, crucial, vital, essential, paramount, critical, fundamental, key, pivotal, imperative, indispensable, notable, substantial, momentous, central, weighty, grave, major, pressing, essential
Very Cold – chilly, frigid, icy, freezing, glacial, frosty, bitter, numbing, polar, arctic, subzero, bone-chilling, shivery, gelid, wintry, ice-cold, subfreezing, bracing
Very Warm – hot, scorching, sweltering, blazing, scalding, boiling, roasting, sizzling, torrid, searing, tropical, stifling, sultry, summery, burning, heated, fervent, toasty, fervid, balmy
Very Fast – quick, rapid, swift, speedy, brisk, fleet, expeditious, hasty, prompt, fast-paced, lightning-fast, breakneck, high-speed, supersonic, turbocharged, nippy, zippy, mercurial, fleet-footed, accelerated
Very Slow – gradual, leisurely, unhurried, sluggish, plodding, crawling, creeping, snail-paced, laggard, dawdling, slothful, languid, slack, leaden, lumbering,
Very Small – tiny, minuscule, miniature, petite, diminutive, microscopic, wee, pocket-sized, nano-sized, dinky, undersized, pint-sized, compact, little, minute.
Very Big – large, huge, enormous, gigantic, massive, colossal, immense, vast, mammoth, giant, substantial, massive, humongous, monumental, gargantuan, towering, tremendous, grand, substantial
Very Loud – noisy, cacophonous, deafening, thunderous, uproarious, blaring, clamorous, ear-splitting, boisterous, raucous, resounding, tumultuous, clamoring, vociferous, rowdy, piercing, shrill, strident, ear-piercing, booming
Very Quiet – silent, hushed, noiseless, tranquil, serene, peaceful, still, calm, soundless, mute, subdued, noise-free, mute, low-volume, muffled, faint, inaudible, placid
Very Scary – frightening, terrifying, horrifying, chilling, spine-tingling, petrifying, hair-raising, unnerving, blood-curdling, bone-chilling, alarming, daunting, menacing, creepy, eerie, nightmarish, fearsome, macabre, ghastly
Very Clever – smart, intelligent, sharp, bright, brilliant, ingenious, astute, shrewd, quick-witted, knowledgeable, resourceful, cunning, crafty, perceptive, wise, insightful, savvy, brainy, ingenious, adept, skillful
Very Stupid – unintelligent, foolish, dumb, moronic, witless, brainless, dense, daft, clueless, ignorant, obtuse, imbecilic, senseless, inane, asinine, idiotic, dim-witted.
Very Mean – cruel, unkind, malicious, spiteful, nasty, vindictive, hateful, heartless, malevolent, wicked, ruthless, harsh, vicious, inconsiderate, callous, cold-blooded, sadistic, brutal, mean-spirited, maleficent
Very Nice – pleasant, enjoyable, delightful, charming, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, attractive, friendly, amiable, kind, likable, affable, gracious, genial, congenial, sweet, good-natured, benevolent, considerate
Very Pretty – beautiful, attractive, lovely, gorgeous, stunning, charming, striking, appealing, captivating, alluring, enchanting, exquisite, graceful, elegant, fetching, ravishing, comely, handsome, pleasing, bewitching
Very Difficult – challenging, arduous, tough, demanding, intricate, complex, hard, strenuous, formidable, laborious, onerous, trying, taxing, rigorous, thorny, problematic, knotty, tricky, intricate, exacting
Very Easy – simple, effortless, straightforward, uncomplicated, facile, elementary, undemanding, painless, basic, a breeze, a piece of cake, a doddle
Very Bright – intense, brilliant, blinding, dazzling, radiant, glaring, powerful, strong, shining, vivid, luminous, gleaming, incandescent
Very Dark – pitch-black, inky, jet-black, midnight, obsidian, coal-black, shadow, gloomy, murky, dim, somber, tenebrous, unlit, sunless, benighted
Very Similar – like, comparable, akin, analogous, parallel, corresponding, resembling, kindred, uniform, identical, equivalent, cognate, twin, mirroring, related, indistinguishable, matched, congruent
Yeaah! you’ve reached the end…
Just remember there is nothing wrong with using the word “very” in your story, I often catch myself doing the same. Only try to use different words to intensify the moment you’re trying to create. Which will eventually and hopefully create a better story and reading experience for your readers.