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really

adverb · verb

Form of real , adverb of real.

Simple meaning

Truly; in fact.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

rilee

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US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈɹɪli

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

adverb

  1. modal

    Actually; in fact; in reality.

  2. informalas an intensifier

    Very (modifying an adjective); very much (modifying a verb).

  3. literal

    In a way or manner that is real, not unreal.

verb

  1. To bring together again.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
A1 · Beginner (estimated)
Frequency
Very Common
Typical Use
Everyday English

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

really goodreally knowreally thinkreally wantedreally likereally need

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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?

Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.

  • actually

    In actual fact.

  • very

    Conforming to fact, reality or rule.

  • truly

    In accordance with truth or fact or reality.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Inflected forms

Grammatical variations of the same word.

  • realadjectiveBase word

    Being or occurring in fact or actuality.

Word family

Words built from the same root.

  • realistnounPerson or profession

    A philosopher who believes that universals are real and exist independently of anyone thinking of them.

  • realitynounDerived noun · specialist

    All of your experiences that determine how things appear to you.

  • realismnounDerived noun

    The attribute of accepting the facts of life and favoring practicality and literal truth.

  • realizeverbDerived verb

    Be fully aware or cognizant of.

  • realiseverbDerived verb

    Earn on some commercial or business transaction.

Related words

Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.

  • realisticadjectiveRelated term

    Aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: actually

actuallytrulyvery

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the pricing changea tool / a habit / a rulethe whole project / evening / processcheckingexcellent

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.