amazingly

amazingly — adverb

1. with a result so surprising that people notice it at once, often because it seem

1.adverbB1
Definition

with a result so surprising that people notice it at once, often because it seems much better, luckier, or stranger than expected.

Example

Amazingly, no one in the house was hurt by the fire.

sentence adverb commenting on a surprising result

The lost dog amazingly found its way home before sunrise.

subject + amazingly + verb

Common collocations
  • amazingly enough
  • amazingly survive
  • amazingly remain
  • amazingly find one's way back
Synonyms
  • surprisingly

    the closest everyday match; amazingly often sounds a little stronger or more impressed

  • astonishingly

    stronger and more formal; used for very striking facts

  • remarkably

    can suggest noticeable success or unusual quality, not only surprise

  • unexpectedly

    focuses on lack of expectation; amazingly more often carries wonder or admiration

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

amazingly, + clause

subject + amazingly + verb

Usage Note

Often placed at the start of a sentence to comment on a whole situation: 'Amazingly, ...'. Distinguish from sense 2, which usually stands directly before an adjective or adverb such as cheap, fast, or well.

Common Mistakes

The bus amazingly came after forty minutes.
The bus finally came after forty minutes.
amazingly adds real surprise, not just a long wait.

2. used before an adjective or adverb to mean very, especially when the speaker is

2.adverbB1
Definition

used before an adjective or adverb to mean very, especially when the speaker is praising how good, fast, cheap, easy, or pleasant something is.

Example

The tickets were amazingly cheap for a Saturday night concert.

amazingly + adjective

Grandma still walks amazingly fast for someone in her eighties.

amazingly + adverb

Common collocations
  • amazingly cheap
  • amazingly fast
  • amazingly good
  • amazingly quickly
  • amazingly well
Synonyms
  • very

    the most neutral degree word; it does not add the impressed feeling of amazingly

  • extremely

    strong and common in writing; less emotional than amazingly

  • incredibly

    close in strength; often stresses that the degree is hard to believe

  • remarkably

    slightly more formal; often used for noticeable quality rather than warm praise

Antonyms
  • slightly

    to a small degree instead of a very high one

  • somewhat

    to a moderate degree, softer than amazingly

Grammar Patterns

amazingly + adjective

amazingly + adverb

amazingly + well

Usage Note

Usually comes directly before an adjective or adverb, especially in praise: amazingly cheap, amazingly fast, amazingly well. If you are reacting to a whole unexpected fact rather than raising degree, use sense 1 instead.

Common Mistakes

The meal was amazing cheap.
The meal was amazingly cheap.
before an adjective, use the adverb amazingly, not the adjective amazing.
He is amazingly.
He is amazing.
after 'be', use the adjective if you describe the person or thing itself.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/2

These adverbs can all raise degree, but they do not sound the same. 'Very' is the neutral everyday choice and works almost anywhere: very cold, very slow, very kind. 'Extremely' is stronger and slightly more formal. 'Amazingly' does more than raise degree: it shows the speaker is impressed or surprised by how good, cheap, fast, easy, or pleasant something is. 'Incredibly' is close, but it more often suggests that the degree is hard to believe. Compare these: a room can be very small, extremely quiet, amazingly cheap, or incredibly clean. If you only need simple degree, choose 'very'. If you want degree plus a feeling of admiring surprise, 'amazingly' fits best.

very ↗extremely ↗amazingly ↗incredibly ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Amazingly was formed in English by adding the adverb ending '-ly' to 'amazing'. That adjective comes from the verb 'amaze', an old English word that first meant to confuse or stun someone. Over time the idea moved from simple bewilderment to the modern sense of causing great surprise or admiration.