When learning English, it’s easy to rely on “very” to emphasize your words – very good, very bad, very tired, very interesting – but using stronger, more precise vocabulary makes you sound more advanced and professional.
Why? Because native speakers rarely use “very” in formal writing or everyday speech. Instead, they opt for richer, more expressive words. If you want to sound more fluent and confident, it’s time to upgrade your vocabulary!
Here are 20 better alternatives for common phrases with “very.”
1. Very Good → Excellent / Superb / Outstanding
Instead of saying:
❌This meal is very good.
Try:
- This meal is excellent!
- The service at that hotel was superb!
- Her performance was outstanding!
2. Very Bad → Terrible / Awful / Dreadful
Instead of saying:
❌The weather is very bad today.
Try:
- The weather is terrible today!
- His attitude was absolutely dreadful!
- That movie was awful – I wouldn’t watch it again.
3. Very Tired → Exhausted / Drained / Worn Out
Instead of saying:
❌ I’m very tired after work.
Try:
- I’m exhausted after work!
- I feel completely drained from that long meeting.
- I’m worn out from all the traveling this week.
4. Very Interesting → Fascinating / Captivating / Engaging
The benefits of early reading extend far beyond English lessons. Research consistently shows that strong reading Instead of saying:
❌ That book was very interesting.
Try:
- That book was fascinating – I couldn’t put it down!
- His lecture on psychology was captivating.
- The discussion was engaging from start to finish.
5. Very Cold → Freezing / Icy / Chilly
Instead of saying:
❌ It’s very cold outside.
Try:
- It’s freezing outside – I need an extra coat!
- The water is icy, don’t swim in it!
- It’s chilly today; you should wear a scarf.
6. Very Hot → Scorching / Boiling / Sweltering
Instead of saying:
❌ It’s very hot today.
Try:
- It’s scorching today – I need some shade!
- This coffee is boiling – I need to let it cool down.
- It’s sweltering in this room; let’s turn on the air conditioning.
7. Very Happy → Thrilled / Overjoyed / Delighted
Instead of saying:
❌ I’m very happy with my new job.
Try:
- I’m thrilled about my new job!
- She was overjoyed when she won the award!
- I’m delighted to finally meet you in person!
8. Very Sad → Heartbroken / Miserable / Devastated
Instead of saying:
❌ She was very sad after hearing the news.
Try:
- She was heartbroken after hearing the news.
- I feel miserable today; nothing is going right.
- He was devastated when he lost his job.
9. Very Small → Tiny / Miniature / Petite
Instead of saying:
❌ This apartment is very small.
Try:
- This apartment is tiny!
- She gave me a miniature version of the painting.
- The dress comes in a petite size.
10. Very Big → Enormous / Gigantic / Massive
Instead of saying:
❌ That building is very big.
Try:
- That building is enormous!
- The new stadium is gigantic – it can hold thousands of people!
- They made a massive investment in the company.
11. Very Smart → Intelligent / Brilliant / Sharp
Instead of saying:
❌ She is very smart.
Try:
- She is extremely intelligent.
- He’s a brilliant scientist!
- She’s sharp – she always finds creative solutions.
12. Very Stupid → Foolish / Idiotic / Absurd
Instead of saying:
❌ That was a very stupid mistake.
Try:
- That was a foolish mistake.
- His comment was idiotic – it made no sense!
- It’s absurd to think that this plan will work.
13. Very Weak → Fragile / Frail / Feeble
Instead of saying:
❌ He is very weak after the illness.
Try:
- He is fragile after the illness.
- The old man looked frail but still independent.
- His voice was feeble after hours of speaking.
14. Very Strong → Powerful / Sturdy / Robust
Instead of saying:
❌ That argument was very strong.
Try:
- That was a powerful argument!
- The furniture is sturdy and well-made.
- She has a robust understanding of the subject.
15. Very Fast → Rapid / Swift / Speedy
Instead of saying:
❌ The train was very fast.
Try:
- The train was rapid – it arrived in no time!
- He made a swift decision without hesitation.
- The customer service was speedy – I got my answer in minutes!
16. Very Slow → Sluggish / Unhurried / Gradual
Instead of saying:
❌ The internet is very slow today.
Try:
- The internet is sluggish today.
- The workers took an unhurried approach to fixing the issue.
- The recovery process has been gradual but steady.
17. Very Loud → Deafening / Thunderous / Ear-Splitting
Instead of saying:
❌ The music was very loud.
Try:
- The music was deafening – I could barely hear myself think!
- The thunderous applause filled the stadium.
- The fireworks were ear-splitting but spectacular!
18. Very Quiet → Silent / Hushed / Muted
Instead of saying:
❌ The room was very quiet.
Try:
- The room was completely silent.
- The guests spoke in hushed tones.
- The atmosphere was muted, as if everyone was waiting for something.
19. Very Hungry → Starving / Ravenous / Famished
Instead of saying:
❌ I’m very hungry.
Try:
- I’m starving – I haven’t eaten all day!
- After the hike, we were ravenous and ate everything in sight!
- She was absolutely famished after work.
20. Very Tasty → Delicious / Scrumptious / Flavourful
Instead of saying:
❌ The cake was very tasty.
Try:
- The cake was delicious!
- That dish was absolutely scrumptious!
- This soup is so flavourful – it has the perfect balance of spices!
Final Thoughts
Upgrading your vocabulary by eliminating “very” and using precise, powerful words makes your English sound more advanced, professional, and natural.
Want to take your speaking and writing to the next level? At LanguageWize, we help learners speak confidently and sound more fluent in real-life situations.
Join our online English courses today and start speaking like a pro!
Heidi Nel
11 February 2025