Adjective Intensifiers

Natural adverb-adjective pairings that add emphasis

Introduction

English has specific adverbs that pair with specific adjectives — and getting these wrong is a clear sign of non-native speech. We say "bitterly cold" not "very cold" (for emphasis), "highly unlikely" not "very unlikely". These intensifier collocations add natural emphasis and precision.

This chapter covers the most important adverb-adjective pairings that native speakers use instinctively.

Themes

All Collocations in This Chapter (28)

• bitterly cold Extremely and unpleasantly cold
• deeply concerned Very worried or troubled about something
• highly unlikely Very improbable; almost certainly will not happen
• perfectly clear Completely clear with no possibility of misunderstanding
• fully aware Completely conscious of or knowledgeable about something
• utterly ridiculous Completely and absurdly unreasonable or laughable
• wildly inaccurate Extremely and obviously incorrect or wrong
• painfully slow So slow that it causes frustration or discomfort
• blissfully unaware Happily ignorant of something, usually something bad or dangerous
• fiercely competitive Intensely and aggressively competitive
• strikingly beautiful So beautiful that it immediately captures attention
• hopelessly lost Completely lost with no idea how to find the way
• ridiculously easy So easy that it seems laughable or absurd
• desperately needed Urgently and critically required
• vastly different Extremely different, with very little in common
• heavily influenced Strongly affected or shaped by something
• strictly forbidden Absolutely not allowed under any circumstances
• closely related Having a strong connection or similarity to something
• seriously injured Badly hurt with potentially life-threatening injuries
• greatly appreciated Very much valued and welcomed with thanks
• blatantly obvious So clearly apparent that it cannot possibly be missed or denied
• notoriously difficult Famously and widely known to be very difficult
• remarkably similar Surprisingly and strikingly alike
• thoroughly enjoyable Completely and deeply enjoyable from start to finish
• immensely popular Extremely and overwhelmingly popular with many people
• perfectly natural Completely normal and nothing to worry about
• profoundly affected Deeply and fundamentally changed or impacted by something
• densely populated Having a very large number of people living in a small area