vastly
gb/vˈæstli/ us/vˈæstli/
B2
English
~ 8400
nagyon, tök
B2
1
Usage pattern:
vastly [comparative adjective or past participle]
Living costs are vastly higher in the capital than in rural areas.
The new software is vastly improved compared with the old version.
Her situation is vastly different from what it was a year ago.
Online sales have grown vastly in the last decade.
The team is vastly more experienced than their opponents.
Learner examples
This phone is vastly better than my old one.
The city is vastly bigger than my hometown.
Her English has vastly improved in one year.
Prices are vastly higher in that shop.
The two stories are vastly different.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "vastly" like "very" before a normal adjective, for example *"vastly big"* or *"vastly happy"*. This sounds unnatural. "Vastly" is usually used with comparative forms ("vastly better", "vastly more", "vastly higher") or with adjectives like "different", "superior", "improved". Learners may also put it in the wrong place in the sentence; it normally comes directly before the comparative or past participle it modifies.
Meaning
to a very great degree
Collocations
vastly different
|vastly improved
|vastly increased
|vastly superior
|vastly greater
|vastly more
Synonyms
greatly (Very close in meaning; the most common neutral alternative in both speech and writing.)
|
enormously (Stronger and a bit more emotive; often used when the size of change or difference feels impressive or surprising.)
|
considerably (Focuses on a clearly noticeable amount; slightly more formal and measured in tone than "vastly".)
Antonyms
slightly (Describes a very small degree, the opposite of the large degree expressed by "vastly".)
|
marginally (Emphasizes only a tiny or unimportant amount of change or difference, contrasting with the strong degree of "vastly".)
Themes
descriptions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very much; by a very large amount.
To a very great degree or extent; by a large amount.
Grammar
Dictionary form
vastly
IPA
GB/vˈæstli/
US/vˈæstli/
Syllables & stress
vastly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (vastly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: vastly
- Plural: vastlies
Word family
Expressions
vastly different
1/vˈæstli dˈɪfɹənt/
fixed phrase
very greatly different
Very different in a big and clear way.
Examples
- Their opinions on education are vastly different.
- Conditions today are vastly different from those of fifty years ago.
vastly improved
1/vˈæstli ɪmpɹˈuvd/
fixed phrase
made much, much better
Made a lot better than it was before.
Examples
- The service at the hotel is vastly improved since the new manager arrived.
- Your pronunciation is vastly improved compared to last semester.
vastly increased
1/vˈæstli ɪŋkɹˈist/
fixed phrase
grown by a very large amount
Become much larger in amount or number than before.
Examples
- Over the past decade, online advertising has vastly increased.
- Since the merger, the company’s market share has vastly increased.
vastly more
1/vˈæstli mˈɔɹ/
fixed phrase
a much greater amount
Much more; a very big amount more than something else.
Examples
- The project ended up costing vastly more than we expected.
- People now spend vastly more time online than they did twenty years ago.
vastly superior
1/vˈæstli supˈɪɹiɚ/
fixed phrase
much better than something else
Much better than someone or something else in quality or ability.
Examples
- This new model is vastly superior to the older one.
- In terms of speed, their system is vastly superior to ours.