It’s common, even for native speakers, to unintentionally repeat a word. In spoken English, that’s not a big problem. Repetition can even lend rhythm to your speech. On the other hand, in written text, it’s easier to recognize when an author relies on identical words and phrases over and over again.
Sometimes, overuse of a word or phrase can even distract the reader. In order to make your writing stronger, try to add some spice to your vocabulary and syntax. Avoid dependence on particular words and phrases. Often, a thesaurus can be a particularly effective tool to add variety to your writing.
Here are a few synonyms for the word “very” when it’s used as an adjective, according to Thesaurus.com:
- actual
- appropriate
- authentic
- bare
- bona fide
- correct
- especial
- express
- genuine
- ideal
- identical
- indubitable
- mere
- model
- perfect
- plain
- precise
- pure
- right
- same
- selfsame
- sheer
- simple
- special
- sure-enough
- true
- undoubted
- unqualified
- unquestionable
- veritable
- very same
When it’s used as an adverb, “very” can be replaced with one of these synonyms:
- absolutely
- awfully
- certainly
- decidedly
- deeply
- eminently
- exceedingly
- excessively
- extraordinarily
- extremely
- greatly
- highly
- incredibly
- noticeably
- particularly
- pretty
- profoundly
- remarkably
- surprisingly
- terribly
- truly
- uncommonly
- unusually
- wonderfully
- acutely
- amply
- astonishingly
- considerably
- dearly
- emphatically
- exaggeratedly
- extensively
- indispensably
- largely
- notably
- positively
- powerfully
- pressingly
- prodigiously
- substantially
- superlatively
- surpassingly
- vastly
