Level Up Your English, stop saying "Very": don't say very smart, say brilliant!

The word "very" is an overused intensifier in English, it makes adjectives and adverbs more powerful or strong. However, its common overuse can make your English seem dull and boring. This quick blog post will provide easy alternatives, helping you express yourself more v

ividly and precisely.

Why Seek Alternatives?

Using "very" before an adjective or adverb is easy, but it often lacks specificity and impact. For example, saying "very big" is less descriptive than "enormous." By choosing a more powerful word, you strengthen your language skills and engage your audience more effectively.

Alternatives to "Very"

Let's explore some alternatives to "very" with examples:

1) Very tired ➔ Exhausted

• Instead of saying "I'm very tired," say "I'm exhausted." It conveys a deeper level of fatigue.

2) Very happy ➔ Ecstatic

• "She was very happy to see him" becomes "She was ecstatic to see him," adding a layer of intensity to the happiness felt.

3) Very big ➔ Huge or Enormous

• "The building is very big" becomes "The building is enormous."

4) Very important ➔ Crucial

• Swap "This is very important" with "This is crucial" for a stronger emphasis on significance.

5) Very smart ➔ Brilliant

• "He's very smart" turns into "He's brilliant," highlighting exceptional intelligence.

6) Very cold ➔ Freezing

• Instead of "It's very cold outside," try "It's freezing outside" for more impact.

7) Very fast ➔ Rapid

• "The car is very fast" can be more dynamically expressed as "The car is rapid."

8) Very afraid ➔ Terrified

• "She was very afraid of the dark" becomes "She was terrified of the dark."

9) Very small ➔ Tiny

• "This apartment is very small" can be changed to "This apartment is tiny."

10) Very clean ➔ Spotless

• "The kitchen was very clean" turns into "The kitchen was spotless."

11) Very short ➔ Brief

• "His speech was very short" becomes "His speech was brief."

12) Very expensive ➔ Costly or Pricey

• "That car is very expensive" could be "That car is costly."

13) Very old ➔ Ancient or Aged

• "The castle is very old" becomes "The castle is ancient."

14) Very quiet ➔ Silent

• "The room was very quiet" turns into "The room was silent."

15) Very simple ➔ Basic or Elementary

• "The instructions were very simple" can be "The instructions were basic."

16) Very strong ➔ Powerful

• "He is very strong" becomes "He is powerful."

17) Very weak ➔ Frail

• "The signal is very weak" turns into "The signal is frail."

18) Very wet ➔ Soaked

• "The clothes were very wet" becomes "The clothes were soaked."

19) Very dry ➔ Parched

• "The land is very dry" can be "The land is parched."

20) Very hard ➔ Difficult

• "The test was very hard" turns into "The test was difficult."

21) Very easy ➔ Effortless

• "The solution was very easy" becomes "The solution was effortless."

22) Very bright ➔ Luminous

• "The light is very bright" can be changed to "The light is luminous."

23) Very noisy ➔ Deafening

• "The concert was very noisy" becomes "The concert was deafening."

24) Very hungry ➔ Starving

• "I am very hungry" turns into "I am starving."

25) Very beautiful ➔ Gorgeous

• "The view is very beautiful" becomes "The view is gorgeous."

26) Very busy ➔ Swamped

• "I am very busy today" can be "I am swamped today."

27) Very careful ➔ Cautious

• "Be very careful" turns into "Be cautious."

28) Very crowded ➔ Packed

• "The market is very crowded" turns into "The market is packed."

29) Very dirty ➔ Filthy

• "His clothes were very dirty" can be "His clothes were filthy."

30) Very excited ➔ Thrilled

• "They are very excited about the trip" changes to "They are thrilled about the trip."

Non-examples: When "Very" Might Still Be Used

While finding alternatives is beneficial, it's also important to recognize when "very" might still be better. For example:

• "Very" can be useful when an extremely strong adjective might seem out of place.

• When someone tells a regular story, it might be better to say very interesting, instead of fascinating.

• Sometimes, "very" fits better in a sentence because it can be used for emphasis, like “he was VERY rude” can sometimes feel better than saying ‘offensive’ since you can stress the word ‘very’.

Conclusion 

Having a broader range of vocabulary is a great way to sound more educated, even natives struggle with this. Saying very is not a bad thing, but it is a great idea to improve your vocabulary so you can use words with more powerful and specific meanings. This will absolutely convey to people your fluency.