Cool MateExtremely vs Incredibly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Extremely
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adverb
Incredibly
Top 2,000 (common)B1adverb
Most common: Extremely
| Extremely | Incredibly | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪkˈstriːmli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪkˈstriːmli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈkredəbli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈkredəbli/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very much; to a very high degree. | very much or extremely |
| Example | She was extremely happy about her exam results. | It was all **incredibly difficult**. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | B1 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | extremely happy, extremely difficult, extremely important, extremely cold, extremely fast | incredibly fast, incredibly difficult, incredibly beautiful, incredibly talented, incredibly lucky |
| Antonyms | slightly, moderately | barely, slightly |
| Common mistakes | Using 'extremely' with nouns, e.g., 'extremely happy person' instead of 'extremely happy'., Confusing 'extremely' with similar adverbs like 'really' for less intense expressions., Placing 'extremely' incorrectly in a sentence, altering the meaning. | Confused with 'incredible' which is an adjective., Using 'incredibly' in a context where 'very' would be sufficient., Incorrectly placing 'incredibly' before nouns, where it should modify verbs or adjectives. |
| Usage notes | Use 'extremely' to emphasize adjectives or adverbs. Appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid in casual contexts where simpler terms like 'really' may suffice. | Use 'incredibly' to emphasize something is true to a high degree. Appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid in overly casual contexts. |
Frequently asked questions: Extremely vs Incredibly
What's the difference between Extremely and Incredibly?
Extremely: Very much; to a very high degree. Incredibly: very much or extremely
Which is more common: Extremely and Incredibly?
Extremely is the most common in everyday English.
Are Extremely and Incredibly the same CEFR level?
Extremely: A2, Incredibly: B1 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Extremely and Incredibly interchangeably?
Not always. Extremely and Incredibly are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.