View synonyms for

incredibly

[ in-kred-uh-blee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adverb

in a way that is extraordinary, seemingly impossible, or difficult to believe; incredulously:
Incredibly, we have already raised $750.
very; extremely:
Your hair will be left incredibly soft, supple, and shiny.
I found the incredibly uncomfortable seats a real distraction—tall people beware.

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Usage Note

Incredibly and, somewhat less commonly, incredulously can both be used to mean “unbelievably,” as in It was an incredulously/incredibly expensive flight. They both share the roots of in, meaning “not,” and ��ŧ��, meaning “to believe,” so this shared meaning of “not able to be believed” is rooted in their etymology. Beware, however: they both also have other senses that are not synonyms. Incredibly can mean “very” or “extremely,” but incredulously is not used that way: This is an incredibly exciting moment for me. Incredulously can mean “disbelievingly,” but incredibly is not used that way: She stared at the painting incredulously, skeptical of its veracity .

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Word History and Origins

Origin of incredibly¹

First recorded in 1500–10; incredib(le) ( def ) + -ly ( def )

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Altogether, the color, flavor and textural differentiation is incredibly varied: briny, oily, herbaceous sauce slicks the crisped salmon, with the crunchy leeks providing another dimension of flavor and texture.

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"It is a very low humming, droning, pulsating noise. It's incredibly intrusive and distressing," she said.

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"It is incredibly important to discuss your sexual and emotional boundaries when you are sober."

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“I just feel that if the country hadn’t been reunified — if the war had continued — everything would still be incredibly difficult.”

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Despite some occasional downpours, spring has been incredibly dry so far this year for a number of areas.

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Related Words

incredible incredulity

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