strongly

strongly — adverb

1. with deep conviction or a firm opinion, showing that you feel something is very

1.adverbB1
Definition

with deep conviction or a firm opinion, showing that you feel something is very important

Example

Heloísa strongly believes that every child deserves access to good education.

strongly + believes (verb of conviction)

The residents strongly opposed the plan to build a factory near their homes.

strongly + opposed (past participle, negative opinion)

Common collocations
  • strongly believe
  • strongly oppose
  • strongly recommend
  • strongly support
  • strongly disagree
  • strongly object
  • strongly feel
  • strongly argue
  • strongly influenced
  • feel strongly about
Synonyms
  • firmly

    more about unwavering position than emotional intensity; 'She firmly said no' sounds resolute but not emotional

  • deeply

    focuses on emotional depth rather than decisiveness; 'He deeply regretted his words'

  • intensely

    suggests a high degree of emotional force; can sound dramatic in everyday contexts

  • passionately

    adds emotional warmth and enthusiasm; used with positive feelings like love or support

Antonyms
  • weakly

    opposite on both intensity and conviction; 'She weakly protested the decision'

  • mildly

    suggests a soft or moderate opinion, opposite of strong conviction; 'He mildly disagreed'

Grammar Patterns

strongly + verb (strongly believes/opposes/recommends)

strongly + past participle (strongly recommended/supported/opposed)

Usage Note

Frequently modifies verbs of belief, opinion, or emotion (believe, oppose, recommend, feel, support, disagree, argue). Common in both formal and everyday contexts.

Common Mistakes

I strongly do exercise every morning.
I exercise vigorously every morning.
'strongly' is not used for physical exercise intensity; use 'vigorously' or 'hard' instead.
She strongly ate the soup.
She strongly disagreed with the decision.
'strongly' does not modify general action verbs; it pairs with opinion, feeling, and conviction verbs.

2. with a solid physical structure that resists breaking, cracking, or coming apart

2.adverbB2
Definition

with a solid physical structure that resists breaking, cracking, or coming apart under force

Example

The oak bookshelf was strongly built and held all the heavy volumes without bending.

strongly + built (past participle, physical construction)

Linh checked that the fence posts were strongly fixed into the ground before the storm arrived.

strongly + fixed (past participle, physical attachment)

Common collocations
  • strongly built
  • strongly made
  • strongly constructed
  • strongly fixed
  • strongly reinforced
  • strongly attached
  • strongly fastened
Synonyms
  • solidly

    more common in everyday speech for describing physical construction; 'The table is solidly built'

  • sturdily

    suggests reliable strength suitable for rough use; 'The children's toys were sturdily made'

  • securely

    focuses on being firmly attached or locked in place rather than overall build quality

Antonyms
  • weakly

    opposite for physical construction; 'The chair was weakly assembled and fell apart'

  • flimsily

    describes something badly made that breaks easily; 'The shelf was flimsily attached to the wall'

Grammar Patterns

strongly + past participle (strongly built/made/constructed/fixed)

strongly + adjective (strongly resistant)

Usage Note

Mainly pairs with past participles describing construction or attachment — built, made, constructed, fixed, fastened, reinforced. Not used for abstract strength in this sense. The rejected Oxford sense ('easy to notice', as in smell strongly) is covered by 'strongly' only in narrow contexts like taste and smell; learners should use 'distinctly' or 'noticeably' instead.

Common Mistakes

The rope strongly holds the boat.
The rope is strongly made and holds the boat securely.
'strongly' does not directly modify a present-tense action verb; use it with a past participle describing the object's construction.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

These adverbs all intensify the verb they modify, but each carries a distinct flavour. Strongly is the most neutral and widely applicable — it works with both positive and negative conviction verbs (believe, oppose, recommend, disagree). Firmly shifts the focus from emotional heat to resolute, unyielding position: 'She firmly refused to sign' sounds controlled and final, whereas 'She strongly refused' sounds emotionally charged. Deeply taps into emotional depth beneath the surface: you strongly suspect something, but you deeply regret it. Intensely adds an edge of concentrated power that can feel dramatic in everyday use — you usually wouldn't say 'I intensely like this song' when 'strongly' or 'really' would do. Passionately adds warmth and enthusiasm for things you love or care about deeply: 'She spoke passionately about animal rights.' A useful test: strongly fits most contexts, but if you want precision about the kind of intensity — decisiveness (firmly), emotional depth (deeply), concentrated force (intensely), or heartfelt warmth (passionately) — pick the more specific word.

strongly ↗firmly ↗deeply ↗intenselypassionately ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • strongly worded (letter/statement)
  • strongly held (views/beliefs)
  • strongly influenced (by someone/something)

Prepositions

  • about (feel strongly about)

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed in Middle English by adding the adverb-making suffix '-ly' to the adjective 'strong' (from Old English 'strang', meaning physically powerful). The sense shifted from physical force to figurative intensity (strong opinions, strong feelings) by the 16th century.