incredibly

incredibly — adverb

1. Used to show that the speaker finds what they are saying surprising or hard to a

1.adverbB2
Definition

Used to show that the speaker finds what they are saying surprising or hard to accept as real, even though they know it is true.

Example

Incredibly, Haruto managed to finish the race despite his injury.

sentence adverb at start of clause

The two paintings were almost identical — incredibly, neither artist had seen the other's work.

sentence adverb between clauses

Synonyms
  • unbelievably

    more direct synonym for 'hard to believe'; less formal

  • astonishingly

    adds stronger surprise; slightly more formal

  • remarkably

    focuses on the notable quality rather than disbelief

Antonyms
  • predictably

    opposite in that the outcome is expected, not surprising

Grammar Patterns

incredibly + clause (at start of sentence)

clause + incredibly + clause (in mid-sentence)

Usage Note

Sentence adverb — modifies the whole statement, not a single word. Often appears at the start of a sentence or between two clauses to express surprise at the truth of the statement.

Common Mistakes

Incredibly, the news was false, so I was shocked.
Incredibly, the news was true, even though it seemed false.
This sense of 'incredibly' expresses surprise at something that IS true, not something that is false.
She is incredible kind to everyone.
She is incredibly kind to everyone.
'Incredibly' is an adverb; 'incredible' is an adjective and cannot modify an adjective.

2. To an extreme degree; used before adjectives or other adverbs to add strong emph

2.adverbB1
Definition

To an extreme degree; used before adjectives or other adverbs to add strong emphasis, without expressing disbelief.

Example

The film was incredibly boring, so Eleni left after the first hour.

intensifies an adjective

Dylan received an incredibly generous scholarship to study abroad.

Common collocations
  • incredibly + adjective
  • incredibly + adverb
Synonyms
  • extremely

    direct synonym; slightly less emphatic

  • exceptionally

    suggests something stands out from the norm; more formal

  • remarkably

    suggests something is striking or notable; used in positive contexts

Antonyms
  • slightly

    opposite degree; indicates a small amount

  • somewhat

    indicates a moderate, not extreme, degree

Grammar Patterns

incredibly + adjective

incredibly + adverb

Usage Note

Degree adverb — comes directly before an adjective or another adverb. Does NOT express disbelief; it is purely an intensifier, similar to 'very' but stronger. Often used with positive or negative gradable adjectives.

Common Mistakes

She sings incredible beautifully.
She sings incredibly beautifully.
When modifying an adverb, use the adverbial form 'incredibly', not the adjective 'incredible'.
It is incredibly impossible.
It is completely impossible.
'Incredibly' works poorly with non-gradable or absolute adjectives like 'impossible', 'perfect', or 'unique'.

Word family

  • incredible
    adjectiveB1
  • incredulity
    nounC1
  • incredulous
    adjectiveC1
  • incredulously
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/2

These four words all add strong emphasis, but they carry different nuances. 'Extremely' is the most neutral and widely used intensifier; it simply indicates a very high degree. 'Exceptionally' suggests something stands out from the norm — 'an exceptionally warm winter' implies it is warmer than most winters. 'Remarkably' adds a note of admiration or surprise: 'a remarkably clean kitchen' suggests the cleanliness is striking. 'Unbelievably' overlaps with both senses of 'incredibly' — it can express both degree ('unbelievably fast') and genuine disbelief. Of the four, 'extremely' is the safest all-purpose choice for learners. For example: 'The test was extremely hard' (neutral), 'The hotel was exceptionally clean' (stands out), and 'She played remarkably well for a beginner' (impressive given the context).

extremely ↗exceptionally ↗remarkably ↗unbelievably ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • incredibly + adjective (e.g. incredibly fast, incredibly generous)
  • incredibly + adverb (e.g. incredibly quickly, incredibly well)

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed from the adjective 'incredible', which comes from Latin 'incredibilis' — 'in-' meaning 'not' plus 'credibilis' meaning 'believable'. The suffix '-ly' turns the adjective into an adverb. The word entered English in the 1500s, originally with the literal meaning 'in a way that cannot be believed', which later developed the modern intensifier sense.