Adjective Intensifiers

We use words like very · really · extremely to make adjectives stronger:

It's a very interesting story.
Everyone was very excited.
It's a really interesting story.
Everyone was extremely excited.

We call these words intensifiers. Other intensifiers are:



We also use enough to say more about an adjective, but enough comes after its adjective:

If you are seventeen, you are old enough to drive a car.

I can't wear those shoes. They're not big enough.

Strong adjectives are words like:


We do not normally use very with these adjectives. We do not say something is very enormous✖ or someone is very brilliant.✖

With strong adjectives, we normally use intensifiers like:


The film was absolutely awful.
He was an exceptionally brilliant child.
The food smelled really disgusting.

Some intensifiers go with particular adjectives depending on the meaning of the adjective:

I'm afraid your wife is dangerously ill.
The engine was dangerously hot.
The car was seriously damaged.
Fortunately none of the passengers was seriously hurt.

Some intensifiers go with particular adjectives. For example, we use the intensifier highly with the adjectives successful · intelligent · likely · unlikely:

He was highly intelligent. ✔
She’s a highly successful businesswoman. ✔

but we do not say:

We had a highly tasty meal. ✖
That is a highly good idea. ✖

We use the intensifier bitterly with the adjectives disappointed · unhappy · cold:

I was bitterly unhappy at school.
We were bitterly disappointed to lose the match.
It can get bitterly cold in winter.

You need to use your dictionary to find which nouns these intensifiers go with.

We use these words and phrases as intensifiers with comparative adjectives:


He is much older than me.
New York is a lot bigger than Boston.

We use much and far as intensifiers with comparative adjectives in front of a noun:

France is a much bigger country than Britain.
He is a far better player than Ronaldo.

We use easily and by far as intensifiers with superlative adjectives:

The blue whale is easily the biggest animal in the world.
This car was by far the most expensive.

We use some adjectives as intensifiers with nouns:


We say:

He's a complete idiot. ✔
The idiot was complete. ✖

They were talking utter nonsense. ✔
The nonsense they were talking was utter. ✖