B1adverb2K

Incredibly

UK /["/ɪnˈkredəbli/"]/US /["/ɪnˈkredəbli/"]/

Definition

extremely

In simple words: very much or extremely

Examples

  • It was all **incredibly difficult**.
  • organizations doing **incredibly important** work
  • incredibly stupid/boring
  • incredibly powerful/strong
  • incredibly lucky/talented/beautiful
  • Incredibly, she had no idea what was going on.

Usage notes

Use 'incredibly' to emphasize something is true to a high degree. Appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid in overly casual contexts.

Grammar pattern

standalone adverb

Memory hint

Think 'incredible' + 'ly' — it expresses 'extreme incredibility'.

Collocations

  • incredibly fast
  • incredibly difficult
  • incredibly beautiful
  • incredibly talented
  • incredibly lucky

Synonyms

  • unbelievably

Antonyms

  • barely
  • slightly

Common mistakes

  • 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.