incredibly
gb/ɪŋkɹˈɛdəbli/ us/ɪŋkɹˈɛdəbli/
A2
English
~ 4600
Senses
0 senses
adverb
A2
property
1
To a very great extent
Used to say that something is very, very much or more than usual.
Usage pattern:
incredibly [adjective/adverb]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'incredibly' with 'incredible'. 'Incredibly' is an adverb and modifies adjectives or other adverbs, while 'incredible' is an adjective.
Synonyms
extremely (Neutral, widely used for strong emphasis.)
|
remarkably (Slightly more formal and often used for surprising qualities.)
Antonyms
slightly (Indicates only a small degree, the opposite of extreme emphasis.)
|
moderately (Shows a middle level rather than an extreme one.)
Collocations
incredibly fast
|incredibly difficult
|incredibly beautiful
|incredibly lucky
|incredibly expensive
Themes
emphasis
|communication
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The movie was incredibly moving and made everyone cry.
- She runs incredibly fast for her age.
- It was incredibly difficult to solve the puzzle.
- He is incredibly talented at playing the piano.
- The view from the top was incredibly beautiful.
Learner examples
- The cake is incredibly sweet.
- He is incredibly tall.
- The test was incredibly hard.
- She speaks incredibly fast.
- The weather is incredibly cold today.
adverb
B1
property
2
In a surprising or unbelievable way
In a way that is very surprising or hard to believe.
Usage pattern:
incredibly [verb/adjective]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this meaning when they simply mean 'very'. This sense should involve real surprise or unlikeliness.
Synonyms
unbelievably (Interchangeable in many contexts, emphasizes difficulty in believing.)
|
astonishingly (Highlights the surprising or amazing aspect.)
Antonyms
predictably (Suggests something happened as expected, opposite of surprising.)
|
expectedly (Happened in a normal or foreseeable way.)
Collocations
incredibly survived
|incredibly managed
|incredibly won
Themes
surprise
|storytelling
|core_vocabulary
|communication
Examples
- He incredibly survived the plane crash without a scratch.
- The team incredibly won against all odds.
- She incredibly managed to finish the work in one day.
- They incredibly found the lost ring in the sand.
- The cat incredibly returned home after being missing for months.
Learner examples
- He incredibly found his lost dog.
- She incredibly passed the very hard exam.
- They incredibly won the game.
- I incredibly met my favorite singer in the street.
- The baby incredibly said her first word at six months.
Grammar
Dictionary form
incredibly
IPA
GB/ɪŋkɹˈɛdəbli/
US/ɪŋkɹˈɛdəbli/
Syllables & stress
in - cred - ibly (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cred)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: incredibly
- Plural: incrediblies
Word family
Forms
incrediblies
noun
Core family
incredible
adjective B1
Related words
credible
adjective B2
credibility
noun B2
Advanced or less common
credibly
adverb C1
Expressions
incredibly enough
1/ɪŋkɹˈɛdəbli ɪnˈʌf/
fixed phrase
Surprisingly or unexpectedly
Used to show that something is surprising or not expected.
Examples
- Incredibly enough, he finished the marathon without any training.
- Incredibly enough, the old car still runs perfectly after all these years.