profoundly

profoundly — adverb

1. used to say that something goes to a very deep level — describing a strong emoti

1.adverbB2
Definition

used to say that something goes to a very deep level — describing a strong emotional, intellectual, or physical change that affects the essential core of a person or thing rather than just the surface

Example

Linh was profoundly grateful for the scholarship that changed her life.

profoundly + adjective of emotion (grateful)

The whole community was profoundly affected by the factory closing.

passive: profoundly affected by [event]

Common collocations
  • profoundly grateful
  • profoundly affected
  • profoundly different
  • profoundly important
  • profoundly moving
  • profoundly sad
  • profoundly changed
  • profoundly concerned
  • profoundly disturbing
  • profoundly significant
Synonyms
  • deeply

    more common in everyday speech; slightly less formal than 'profoundly'

  • greatly

    more general; applies to quantity or degree without the depth implication

  • intensely

    emphasises emotional strength or concentration rather than depth

  • extremely

    focuses on high degree without the metaphorical 'depth' sense

Antonyms
  • superficially

    only on the surface; opposite of reaching the core

  • slightly

    to a small degree; opposite of the great depth implied by 'profoundly'

Grammar Patterns

profoundly + adjective (e.g. profoundly grateful)

profoundly + past participle (e.g. profoundly affected)

profoundly + verb (e.g. profoundly changed)

Usage Note

Stronger than 'very' or 'deeply' — implies an effect that reaches the core of something and often suggests a lasting or fundamental change. Frequently used with adjectives of emotion (grateful, moved, sad, concerned), change (different, new, altered), and importance (important, significant). Common in formal and written English.

Common Mistakes

I am profoundly tired after the game.
I am extremely tired after the game.
'Profoundly' is for deep, significant effects, not ordinary fatigue.
It is a profoundly beautiful sunset.
It is an extremely beautiful sunset.
'Profoundly' implies depth of meaning, not just intensity of beauty.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four synonyms indicate a high degree, but each carries a distinct shade of meaning. 'Deeply' is the most neutral and common of the group; it works for both emotions and physical depth in everyday conversation ('I am deeply sorry'). 'Profoundly' is more formal and suggests an effect that reaches to the core of a person or situation — it implies something fundamental or lasting rather than just strong. 'Intensely' focuses on the concentration or strength of a feeling or experience ('intensely painful', 'intensely personal'). 'Greatly' is the most general and least emotionally charged — it applies to quantity, degree, or extent without any depth metaphor ('greatly improved', 'greatly appreciated'). For example, a student might be 'deeply grateful' for help on a homework assignment, but 'profoundly grateful' for a life-changing scholarship. You can be 'greatly amused' by a joke, but you would not be 'profoundly amused' unless the humour had serious philosophical implications.

deeply ↗greatly ↗intenselyextremely ↗

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

From the adjective 'profound', which entered English through Old French 'profond' (deep), from Latin 'profundus' — a combination of 'pro-' (forward, forth) and 'fundus' (bottom). The literal meaning was 'having a far-down bottom', which shifted figuratively to mean 'very deep' in an intellectual or emotional sense. The suffix '-ly' was added to form the adverb, following the standard English pattern for turning adjectives into adverbs of manner or degree.