Cool MateExtremely vs Incredibly vs Very
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Extremely
Incredibly
Very
| Extremely | Incredibly | Very | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪkˈstriːmli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪkˈstriːmli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈkredəbli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈkredəbli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈveri/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈveri/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very much; to a very high degree. | very much or extremely | used to emphasize something |
| Example | She was extremely happy about her exam results. | It was all **incredibly difficult**. | This cake is very delicious! |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | B1 | A1 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | extremely happy, extremely difficult, extremely important, extremely cold, extremely fast | incredibly fast, incredibly difficult, incredibly beautiful, incredibly talented, incredibly lucky | very good, very bad, very happy, very important, very fast |
| Antonyms | slightly, moderately | barely, slightly | not, slightly, somewhat |
| 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. | Using 'very' with negative adjectives like 'bad' too much., Confusing with 'really' in casual conversation., Overusing 'very' can make writing less impactful. |
| 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. | Used to increase the intensity of adjectives or adverbs. Best for neutral situations; avoid in formal writing where 'extremely' may be preferred. |
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Frequently asked questions: Extremely vs Incredibly vs Very
What's the difference between Extremely, Incredibly, and Very?
Extremely: Very much; to a very high degree. Incredibly: very much or extremely Very: used to emphasize something
Which is more advanced: Extremely, Incredibly, and Very?
Incredibly is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Extremely, Incredibly, and Very the same CEFR level?
Extremely: A2, Incredibly: B1, Very: A1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Extremely, Incredibly, and Very?
Extremely: adverb, Incredibly: adverb, Very: adverb.
Can you show an example of each?
Extremely: She was extremely happy about her exam results. Incredibly: It was all **incredibly difficult**. Very: This cake is very delicious!
Can I use Extremely, Incredibly, and Very interchangeably?
Not always. Extremely, Incredibly, and Very 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.