Adjacent Words

Really definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RE'ALLY, adv.
1. With actual existence.
2. In truth; in fact; not in appearance only; as things really evil.
The anger of the people is really a short fit of madness.
In this sense, it is used familiarly as a slight corroboration of an opinion or declaration.
Why really, sixty five is somewhat old.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adv
1: in accordance with truth or fact or reality; "she was now truly American"; "a genuinely open society"; "they don't really listen to us" [syn: truly, genuinely, really]
2: in actual fact; "to be nominally but not actually independent"; "no one actually saw the shark"; "large meteorites actually come from the asteroid belt" [syn: actually, really]
3: in fact (used as intensifiers or sentence modifiers); "in truth, moral decay hastened the decline of the Roman Empire"; "really, you shouldn't have done it"; "a truly awful book" [syn: in truth, really, truly]
4: used as intensifiers; `real' is sometimes used informally for `really'; `rattling' is informal; "she was very gifted"; "he played very well"; "a really enjoyable evening"; "I'm real sorry about it"; "a rattling good yarn" [syn: very, really, real, rattling]

Merriam Webster's

adverb Date: 15th century 1. a. in reality ; actually <things as they really are> <there was nothing peculiar about her doing this, really — Peter Taylor> b. truly, unquestionably — used as an intensifier <a really beautiful day> c. very 2 <look really close> <he runs really fast> 2. — used to emphasize an assertion <you really should read Yeats> <really, you're being ridiculous>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adv. 1 in reality; in fact. 2 positively, assuredly (really useful). 3 (as a strong affirmative) indeed, I assure you. 4 an expression of mild protest or surprise. 5 (in interrog.) (expressing disbelief) is that so? (They're musicians. -- Really?).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Really Re"al*ly`, adv. Royally. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Really Re"al*ly, adv. In a real manner; with or in reality; actually; in truth. Whose anger is really but a short fit of madness. --Swift. Note: Really is often used familiarly as a slight corroboration of an opinion or a declaration. Why, really, sixty-five is somewhat old. --Young.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. You can use really to emphasize a statement. (SPOKEN) I'm very sorry. I really am... It really is best to manage without any medication if you possibly can... ADV: usu ADV with v [emphasis] 2. You can use really to emphasize an adjective or adverb. It was really good... They were really nice people... = very ADV: ADV adj/adv [emphasis] 3. You use really when you are discussing the real facts about something, in contrast to the ones someone wants you to believe. My father didn't really love her... ADV: usu ADV with v, also ADV adj 4. People use really in questions and negative statements when they want you to answer 'no'. Do you really think he would be that stupid?... = honestly ADV: ADV before v [emphasis] 5. If you refer to a time when something really begins to happen, you are emphasizing that it starts to happen at that time to a much greater extent and much more seriously than before. That's when the pressure really started... ADV: ADV before v [emphasis] 6. People sometimes use really to slightly reduce the force of a negative statement. (SPOKEN) I'm not really surprised... 'Did they hurt you?'—'Not really'... ADV: ADV after neg, usu ADV with v, also ADV with cl [vagueness] 7. You can say really to express surprise or disbelief at what someone has said. (SPOKEN) 'We discovered it was totally the wrong decision.'—'Really?'... CONVENTION [feelings]

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

ad. Actually, truly, absolutely, positively, certainly, verily, indeed, in fact, in reality, in truth, veritably.

Moby Thesaurus

OK, Roger, absolutely, actually, all right, almighty, alright, alrighty, amen, as you say, assuredly, at bottom, authentically, awfully, aye, by all means, categorically, certainly, clearly, da, de facto, decidedly, definitely, demonstrably, doubtlessly, easily, exactly, exceedingly, exceptionally, extraordinarily, extremely, factually, fine, for a certainty, for real, forsooth, genuinely, good, good enough, hear, historically, honestly, in actuality, in all conscience, in effect, in fact, in reality, in truth, in very sooth, indeed, indeedy, indubitably, ja, just, just so, legitimately, mais oui, manifestly, mightily, mighty, most assuredly, naturally, naturellement, nothing else but, noticeably, observably, obviously, of a truth, of course, okay, only too, oui, patently, positively, powerful, powerfully, precisely, pretty, quite, rather, real, really-truly, remarkably, right, righto, sensibly, seriously, so, sure, sure thing, surely, terribly, terrifically, to be sure, truly, unaffectedly, unambiguously, unassumedly, uncommonly, undeniably, undoubtedly, unmistakably, unquestionably, unusually, veridically, verily, veritably, very, very well, visibly, warts and all, well and good, why yes, with truth, without doubt, yea, yeah, yep, yes, yes indeed, yes indeedy, yes sir, yes sirree