Extreme adjectives

The very helpful list.

Instead of modifying with very, try the suggested alternatives in the following list.
Enjoy!

P.S. If you’re having a very difficult time removing very from your writing, remember Mark Twain’s
advice: “Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very’; your editor will delete it, and the
writing will be just as it should be.”
very accurate precise, exact, unimpeachable, perfect, flawless

very aggressive forceful, overconfident, insistent, hardline

very amazed astounded, flabbergasted, astonished, shocked

very angry furious, irate, enraged, incensed, fuming, livid

very anxious dismayed, apprehensive, restless, fretful

very aware conscious, savvy, apprised, mindful, cognizant

very bad awful, deplorable, appalling, rotten, miserable

very basic rudimentary, primary, fundamental, simple

very beautiful gorgeous, stunning, exquisite, magnificent

very bloody gory, brutal, barbarous, savage, murderous

very bony skeletal, angular, spindly, gaunt, emaciated

very boring tedious, dreary, uninteresting, mind-numbing

very bright brilliant, dazzling, radiant, blinding, intense

very capable efficient, competent, adept, proficient, skillful

very careful meticulous, fastidious, precise, scrupulous

very caring compassionate, kind, attentive, sympathetic

very civil polite, courteous, respectful, cultured, mannerly

very clean spotless, immaculate, stainless, shining, hygienic

very clear transparent, sheer, translucent, glassy, crystal

very clever astute, brilliant, shrewd, ingenious, crafty, sharp

very cold frigid, bitter, icy, freezing, glacial, frosty, polar

very colorful vibrant, vivid, kaleidoscopic, variegated, vivid

very competitive ambitious, driven, cutthroat, bloodthirsty

very concerned worried, troubled, upset, distressed, agitated

very confident poised, cool, self-assured, self-reliant, secure

very confused baffled, befuddled, mystified, clueless, dazed

very conscious deliberate, intentional, premeditated, willful

very consistent constant, unfailing, uniform, harmonious, same

very contrary belligerent, argumentative, confrontational

very conventional conservative, common, predictable, unoriginal

very corrupt fraudulent, crooked, unethical, dishonest, rotten

very creamy velvety, buttery, rich, smooth, milky, greasy

very creepy unnerving, skin-crawling, spooky, sinister, weird

very critical vital, crucial, essential, indispensable, integral

very crunchy crispy, brittle, crackling, gravelly, crusty, gritty

very curious inquisitive, nosy, prying, snoopy, quizzical

very cute adorable, endearing, delightful, pretty, charming

very dangerous perilous, precarious, unsafe, treacherous, dicey

very dark black, inky, ebony, sooty, lightless, starless, unlit

very decent civilized, upright, courteous, respectable, noble

very deep abysmal, bottomless, cavernous, yawning, vast

very deformed twisted, contorted, misshapen, mutilated

very delicate subtle, slight, fragile, frail, flimsy, insubstantial

very desperate frantic, fraught, grave, serious, hopeless, dire

very determined resolute, adamant, obstinate, tenacious, dogged

very different unusual, distinctive, atypical, dissimilar, unlike

very difficult complicated, complex, demanding, arduous

very dirty filthy, foul, grimy, polluted, squalid, dilapidated

very disagreeable contrary, obnoxious, offensive, repugnant, rude

very dismal miserable, cheerless, depressing, morbid

very distinct clear, definite, patent, evident, apparent

very dramatic theatrical, histrionic, melodramatic, vivid

very dry arid, parched, sere, dehydrated, withered

very dubious suspicious, skeptical, cynical, unconvinced

very eager impatient, ardent, fervent, keen, earnest

very easy effortless, uncomplicated, unchallenging, simple

very educational enlightening, edifying, informative, revealing

very efficient competent, proficient, resourceful, able

very embarrassed mortified, humiliated, discomfited, ashamed

very emotional demonstrative, sensitive, temperamental

very enthusiastic zealous, eager, fervent, vehement, ebullient

very exciting exhilarating, electrifying, thrilling, breathtaking

very expensive costly, exorbitant, overpriced, extravagant

very fair equitable, impartial, neutral, nonpartisan

very faithful loyal, devoted, staunch, unwavering, stalwart

very familiar common, established, typical, traditional

very famous renowned, eminent, legendary, celebrated

very far distant, remote, isolated, secluded, extrasolar

very fast rapid, swift, fleet, blistering, supersonic

very fat obese, corpulent, rotund, blubbery, round

very fertile prolific, productive, fruitful, rich, lush, fecund

very few meager, scarce, scant, limited, negligible

very fierce vicious, ferocious, savage, keen, intense, feral

very firm solid, hard, rigid, set, frozen, unyielding

very fizzy effervescent, frothy, foamy, sudsy

very fluffy downy, fuzzy, fleecy, feathery, cottony

very fond devoted, attentive, enamored, doting

very fragile tenuous, unstable, precarious, frail, delicate

very friendly gregarious, outgoing, chummy, demonstrative

very frustrating exasperating, infuriating, disheartening, vexing

very full overflowing, bursting, crammed, packed, sated

very funny hilarious, hysterical, sidesplitting, rollicking

very good superb, superior, excellent, outstanding

very graceful flowing, supple, lithe, willowy, lissome

very greedy gluttonous, avaricious, materialistic, insatiable

very hairy hirsute, shaggy, furry, bushy, unshaven

very happy ecstatic, overjoyed, euphoric, blissful, elated

very hard inflexible, stony, steely, unyielding, tough, rigid

very healthy hale, hardy, flourishing, fit, robust, vigorous

very heavy leaden, ponderous, weighty, dense, hefty

very helpful supportive, obliging, accommodating, invaluable

very honest candid, sincere, authentic, forthright, frank

very hot burning, scalding, blistering, scorching, searing

very hungry starving, famished, ravenous, hollow, voracious

very ill infirm, bedridden, frail, terminal, incurable

very immature childish, infantile, naive, jejune, callow, green

very immoral depraved, decadent, debauched, iniquitous

very important crucial, vital, essential, paramount, imperative

very impressive extraordinary, remarkable, awe-inspiring

very inebriated intoxicated, drunk, soused, smashed, plastered

very informal casual, unceremonious, easygoing, simple

very intelligent brainy, clever, bright, gifted, intellectual, astute

very intense severe, extreme, fierce, overpowering, acute

very interesting fascinating, remarkable, riveting, compelling

very jealous envious, resentful, grudging, green, bitter

very juicy succulent, moist, ripe, luscious, fleshy, syrupy

very large huge, humongous, mammoth, gargantuan

very lavish excessive, opulent, posh, luxurious, sumptuous

very light buoyant, insubstantial, weightless, airy, ethereal

very likely expected, imminent, probable, unavoidable

very lively energetic, vivacious, exuberant, spirited

very logical rational, cogent, credible, consistent, sound

very lonely isolated, deserted, forlorn, solitary, abandoned

very long extended, extensive, interminable, protracted

very loud deafening, thunderous, booming, blaring

very loved adored, precious, cherished, revered, beloved

very lucky charmed, blessed, favored, fortunate, fluky

very moody morose, temperamental, unstable, changeable

very much plenty, oceans, heaps, scads, oodles, loads

very much so of course, okay, yes, absolutely, precisely

very musical melodic, melodious, harmonious, dulcet

very near handy, close-by, alongside, convenient, nearby

very neat orderly, tidy, uncluttered, immaculate, spotless

very negative pessimistic, defeatist, cynical, critical, fatalistic

very new novel, innovative, fresh, original, cutting-edge

very nice enjoyable, pleasant, agreeable, satisfying

very numerous abundant, copious, myriad, profuse

very obvious apparent, clear, evident, plain, visible

very occasionally seldom, rarely, infrequently, sporadically

very old grizzled, aged, hoary, ancient, grey, decrepit

very opinionated dogmatic, cocksure, biased, partisan

very optimistic enthusiastic, buoyant, encouraged, positive

very painful excruciating, agonizing, searing, unbearable

very pale white, pallid, ashen, sallow, colorless, pasty

very persuasive convincing, believable, compelling, charming

very pleasant satisfying, fulfilling, rewarding, gratifying

very poor destitute, indigent, penniless, impoverished

very popular trendy, fashionable, admired, prevalent

very positive optimistic, upbeat, affirmative, constructive

very practical realistic, sensible, functional, doable, viable

very presentable shipshape, well-groomed, tidy, personable

very pure unadulterated, wholesome, pristine, clean

very quiet noiseless, silent, still, hushed, soundless

very rare scarce, sparse, unique, exceptional, peerless

very realistic genuine, credible, authentic, rational, true

very reasonable equitable, judicious, sensible, practical, fair

very recent the latest, current, fresh, up-to-date

very relevant germane, pertinent, appropriate, significant

very religious spiritual, devout, pious, fervent, dedicated

very responsible dependable, conscientious, reliable, steadfast

very risky perilous, hazardous, treacherous, precarious

very roomy spacious, expansive, vast, palatial, commodious

very rough coarse, jagged, rugged, craggy, gritty, broken

very rowdy boisterous, disorderly, raucous, unruly, wild

very rude vulgar, insolent, offensive, derogatory, boorish

very sad desolate, disconsolate, wretched, dejected

very safe harmless, benign, secure, protected, sheltered

very same identical, matching, indistinguishable, exact

very sassy impertinent, cheeky, insolent, disrespectful

very scared terrified, petrified, terror-stricken, panicked

very serious solemn, somber, stern, dour, melancholy, grim

very severe acute, grave, critical, serious, brutal, relentless

very sexy seductive, steamy, provocative, erotic, sensual

very shaky tremulous, quaking, vibrating, unsteady

very short stubby, squat, dwarf, diminutive, petite

very shy timid, backward, introverted, withdrawn

very significant key, noteworthy, momentous, major, vital

very silky sleek, smooth, satiny, glossy, lustrous, shiny

very similar alike, akin, analogous, comparable, equivalent

very simple easy, straightforward, effortless, uncomplicated

very slow sluggish, sedate, plodding, creeping, snail-like

very small tiny, miniscule, infinitesimal, microscopic, wee

very smooth flat, glassy, polished, level, even, unblemished

very soft malleable, yielding, spongy, muted, doughy

very sorry remorseful, repentant, penitent, contrite

very sour acerbic, tart, vinegary, biting, harsh, caustic

very specific precise, exact, explicit, definite, unambiguous

very stinky putrid, fetid, rank, rancid, putrescent, noxious

very strange weird, eerie, bizarre, uncanny, peculiar, odd

very strict stern, austere, severe, rigorous, harsh, rigid

very strong muscular, brawny, rugged, powerful, tough

very stupid idiotic, dense, vacuous, ridiculous, inane

very substantial considerable, significant, extensive, ample

very successful lucrative, productive, thriving, prosperous

very sudden unexpected, abrupt, precipitous, unforeseen

very suitable appropriate, fitting, seemly, proper, correct

very sure positive, persuaded, certain, convinced, absolute

very suspicious skeptical, distrustful, wary, guarded, leery

very sweet syrupy, sugary, honeyed, cloying, candied

very tactile touchable, palpable, physical, perceptible

very tall towering, lofty, multistory, soaring, statuesque

very tame docile, submissive, meek, compliant, subdued

very tasty delectable, mouthwatering, scrumptious, divine

very tempting irresistible, enticing, tantalizing, alluring

very tense overwrought, rigid, taut, strained, agitated

very terrible dreadful, horrendous, horrific, shocking

very thin gaunt, scrawny, emaciated, haggard, skeletal

very tired exhausted, spent, frazzled, bushed, drained

very traditional conventional, established, customary, habitual

very treacherous traitorous, disloyal, unfaithful, perfidious

very ugly hideous, revolting, repugnant, grotesque

very unfair unjust, bigoted, prejudiced, inequitable

very unlikely improbable, implausible, doubtful, dubious

very unusual abnormal, extraordinary, uncommon, unique

very useful expedient, effective, nifty, handy, valuable

very valuable precious, priceless, treasured, inestimable

very violent abusive, savage, barbarous, cutthroat, cruel

very visible conspicuous, exposed, obvious, prominent

very warm stifling, hot, sultry, sweltering, oppressive

very wary skeptical, suspicious, leery, vigilant, distrustful

very weak feeble, frail, delicate, debilitated, fragile, sickly

very well superb, fine, fabulous, all right, okay, good

very wet saturated, soaked, waterlogged, sopping

very wicked evil, sinful, villainous, nefarious, fiendish

very wide vast, expansive, sweeping, boundless, distended

very widespread extensive, pervasive, prevalent, rampant

very wild untamed, feral, unmanageable, uncontrollable

very windy roaring, blustery, turbulent, howling, wild

very wise sagacious, sage, astute, enlightened, shrewd

very worried distressed, distraught, overwrought, upset

very young undeveloped, fledgling, immature, budding

very zealous driven, ambitious, motivated, passionate

Find more writing tips in The Writer’s Lexicon, available in both digital and print editions.